Lalaurana's
by Fleur de Anemone
Summary: You'd think that a martial arts school would suck. Apparently not. With Cynthia there and the characters from a series of animes, there was always something to keep the students busy. Romance, blackmail... IY, Ranma Half, FMA, Sailor Moon, Naruto
1. Chapter 1

**This is like my millionth story or something (Haha), and I just want to say one thing: "Suhn" is pronounced "Soon." OK? Some people pronounce it "Sun" and I just wanted to make that clear. Thank you! It's an Inuyasha-FMA crossover. Oh, and before you get confused, Edward is wearing skin-colored casing over his automail arm and leg. Special thanks to the inspiration from Ranma ½ and Naruto. Story time!

* * *

**Lalaurana's school for indiscriminate grappling was set in the middle of an island, and surrounded by vast expanses of trees and shrubbery. Often a warm place, it was ideal to make all the students cross from the sea to the school through the forest to enroll in classes. There were only two classes a day; hand-to-hand combat, and armed combat. Students were required to wear their karate uniforms at all times except after hours, which were considered from eight o'clock PM to seven o'clock AM, when students were required to be awake by.

So it sucked, right? Yes.

Lalaurana's school for indiscriminate grappling—LSIG—was secret, and was known only to those who were descended from former students.

Cynthia Suhn was a descendant from the first student of LSIG. Lalaurana herself. It was Friday, December thirteenth, nineteen fourteen, six o'clock AM. It was usually sunny on this island. But today for the past month, it had snowed and snowed. That was when Cynthia arrived. Her feet were slate gray, the rest of her skin was blue. A month, she had been stuck in the forest. In the blizzard. Her karate uniform was tattered and old, the pack on her shoulder was near empty. A few more days, and she would have run out of supplies. Her long, golden hair was dark and greasy, as it was obviously not shampooed since she entered the forest.

She ran up the stairs and in to the building. She slammed the door and slumped to the ground against it, coughing roughly and closing her eyes.

A humidifier. A sweet humidifier… So… WARM! Her cold skin stung as it warmed. She ran her fingers through her knotted hair, pulling it out. She stood up again, and staggered away from the door, towards where the sign read "office."

* * *

There was nothing like a good spar with your brother before hours.

Edward pulled his hair back into a braid and left the training hall. He had an hour to get ready for class, so why not walk Alphonse back to his room and take a nice jog through the school halls? Running was permitted here because it was good exercise. He took Alphonse back to his room and turned back to jog through the halls until he found his room. He wasn't very familiar with the school yet, so this could take a while. So he turned and jogged downstairs.

He jogged down the stairs, through the ground floor halls, across the main lobby. He paused and smelled the air. It smelled… Like fresh snow, and sweat…

At six AM? Of course not.

A new student had made his way through the woods? In this weather? Never.

Or maybe…

* * *

Cynthia fell to her knees, looking at the floor. She was so exhausted… Her bare feet twitched, still a slate gray. Cynthia closed her eyes. Didn't she have enough energy to get up and go to the office? She coughed, then sneezed. Cynthia was sick, she was tired, and she was still very, very cold…

"Hey, are you okay?"

Suddenly she was picked up. She opened her eyes and looked into the face of Edward. Cynthia put an arm around his neck and closed her eyes half way. "…Define 'okay.' I just got here…"

"In the blizzard?" Edward looked out the window as he carried her towards the main office. "Wow. Usually everyone comes during summer, or at least fall."

"I didn't know there would be a blizzard a month ago…"

"It took you a month?" Edward laughed. "I got here in two weeks flat."

He went into the office by pushing the door open with his back. He turned around and set her down in a chair, pressing a small bell.

A tall, long-legged woman walked out. She had long, orange-red hair pulled up in two messy buns on the back of her head. She wore a fiery red karate uniform.

Edward blushed and bowed. "Sensei Lalaurana! Where are the office receptionists?"

"They don't get here until later, Edward!" Lalaurana laughed. She bowed back, which let Edward straighten himself. "Who's your friend?" Lalaurana bent down to look at Cynthia's face. "You look terrible!"

Cynthia groggily looked at Lalaurana. She looked young, but was really older. "I know… I'd like to enroll…"

"Sure, sure!" Lalaurana said jovially. "I need to find you a dorm…"

"She can stay with me, Sensei!" Edward volunteered. "Russell just graduated."

"Alrighty!" Lalaurana clapped happily. Optimist? Oh yeah. "Edward, please take Cynthia up to your room and help her take out her things. Cynthia, you can have the bottom bunk!"

"Yes, Sensei Lalaurana!"

"Wonderful…"

* * *

Edward set Cynthia down on her bed. "Okay, here's the thing." He pointed. "That's my stuff, and that's your stuff. I don't give a damn where you put it or anything…"

Cynthia curled up on her bed. "A bed…"

"Yeah, much better than sleeping on piles of snow, huh?" He smiled.

_Buzz._

Edward went over to the intercom. "Hello?"

"Edward? It's Lalaurana! Tell Cynthia that she can miss hand-to-hand combat this morning, but make sure she's ready for armed combat at one o'clock this afternoon!"

"Yes sensei!" Edward switched off the intercom. "Did you hear that?" He asked, turning to Cynthia.

"Right, right…" Cynthia's voice sounded very tired. "Wake up at one…"

"I'll get you up at twelve thirty." Edward waved and looked at the nearby clock. "Okay, I have to go get ready for hand-to-hand combat. Maybe you should take a shower or something, bathroom's in there." He pointed. "Lalaurana will send a new uniform up to you before our second class. Have a nice nap."

Too bad Cynthia was already asleep.

* * *

"Cynthia! Wake up!"

Cynthia had taken a shower and was now dressed in her pajamas. Her eyes fluttered open. "Wha… Edward?"

Edward helped her sit up. "It's half past noon. Hurry up and get changed. And go grab the katana next to the door. Armed combat starts soon…"

"Huh? Right."

Cynthia and Edward walked down the halls towards the training hall. Cynthia was now wide-awake, and Edward was a little tired from his first class. Alphonse tapped down the stairs to meet up with them.

"Hi brother!" Alphonse said, all smiles. Cynthia cast Edward a look, and Edward said, "Oh, duh. Cynthia, this is my brother Alphonse. Alphonse, this is Cynthia. She's my new roommate."

Alphonse looked at Edward slyly, a smug look on his face. "Oh, brother. She's so…"

Edward slapped a hand over his mouth. "Just because she's my roommate…"

Cynthia just stared at them. "Can we go to class now?"

"Yeah. Sorry."

Alphonse chuckled, walking next to them. "So is this your first day at LSIG?" he asked.

"Yeah. I just got here this morning."

"And Ed, being the gentleman he is, helped you find the main office." Alphonse laughed.

"You know what, just because you have a girlfriend doesn't mean you can try to set me up." Edward growled.

"…Yes it does. Somehow."

"Whatever." Edward turned the corner, but Alphonse turned the opposite way.

"I'm in hand-to-hand right now because I'm in a younger grade." Alphonse smiled. "Have fun in armed combat!"

When Alphonse disappeared, Cynthia sniggered. "Heh. Your little brother has a girlfriend and you don't."

"Shut up." Edward crossed his arms behind his head. "I know a girl. Her name's Winry…"

"She's not your girlfriend, is she?"

"No. Childhood friend… She's my neighbor. Winry isn't here for karate training. She helps out with mechanics and stuff, real machine junkie."

"Machines… I'm not good with technology." Cynthia sighed. "So where is this armed combat place anyway? I'm itching to play with my katana."

"Right here." Edward stepped into a room where a dozen other students were sitting with their weapons. There were all kinds, but most of them were swords, or at least knives.

"So who teaches this class anyway?" Cynthia asked.

"It's more than one class." Edward explained, taking a seat. Cynthia sat down next to him. "Armed combat is divided into three sections; archery, swordplay, and airborne missiles. The archery teacher is Miss. Higurashi, who's a really nice teacher. She came here from the future. Airborne missiles—you know, throwing stars, knives, guns, et cetera—is taught by Miss. Sango. Swordplay is taught by Inuyasha. If you get on his bad side you might lose an arm or something, ha…"

"You'd better be joking, Ed…" Cynthia sighed.

"I'm not."

"Imp!"

Edward felt a clawed hand close over his head. He was lifted into the air until he was at eye level of Inuyasha. "Imp, what the Hell are you doing? You forgot that when I come in you gotta shut up!"

"M… My name's Edward, sir, and um, I was just explaining the class to Cynthia…" Edward murmured.

"He's not a imp!" Cynthia protested. "He might not be normal sized but he's definitely not a imp! Imps are like two feet tall, and Ed's taller than that. He might seem shorter because you're tall, dog boy!"

"That's Inuyasha." Edward hissed.

"I don't give a rat's…" Cynthia began. Then she blushed with embarrassment. "Oh!" She bowed. "Sorry sir, I'm new, and you don't look like a teacher, and I like your ears, and you're not tall, I mean, you're not short, I mean, your normal, no wait, I mean…"

"Yeah, yeah…" Inuyasha dropped Edward and glared at Cynthia. "Just learn to control your temper."

Cynthia waited until he turned away to mutter quietly. "Yeah, you too, buster."

She jumped as she found the edge of the Tetsusaiga against her neck. "Listen, kid, I'm in charge here, so don't talk back or anything. Got it?" Inuyasha growled.

He blinked with surprise as Cynthia stepped back. "Why, I wouldn't dream of talking back to you, sir." She said, without bowing, or doing anything that showed respect. She simply glared at him, cold faced. She took another step back. "A cute little puppy like you?"

"Cynthia…" Edward muttered. "Stop…"

"I'd rather be your enemy than your student." She hissed, taking several more steps back. She reached behind her and wrapped her fingers around a thick, black-bound sword hilt. "Inuyasha, sir, if you want my respect you need to prove that you are worthy of it!"

And with those last words, she drew the sword. It was a halberd, with a blade that was six feet long and two feet wide, which was about as big as Bankotsu's from Inuyasha's world. She laid the blade along her shoulders, also like Bankotsu.

Inuyasha and Edward just sort of looked at each other. Edward shrugged. "Don't ask me, I didn't know that she was that strong…"

"I, um…" Inuyasha scratched one of his dog's ears. "I don't fight my students… Lalaurana would kill me."

"Great, just what I want." Cynthia smirked. "Then I won't have to deal with you every…"

The halberd whipped from her shoulders to defend herself, where the Tetsusaiga thudded into the blade. "Did I hit a nerve?" She asked teasingly.

"Insolent little…" Inuyasha growled, pulling the Tetsusaiga out of the halberd's blade.

"You're an aggressive one, aren't you?"

Inuyasha glared and tried to stab at her with the Tetsusaiga. However, Cynthia sidestepped and the Tetsusaiga dug into the wall. So Inuyasha let go and went after her with his fists. Cynthia stabbed her halberd into the ground and jumped back, putting her hands on her hips. "Come on, buddy, come at me."

Inuyasha, gritting his teeth, swung a punch at Cynthia. Cynthia pulled back, avoiding it fully. Another one, Cynthia did the same. Inuyasha then realized that punching wasn't best, so he flexed his fingers…

Edward knew this. He jumped up and ran over as fast as his leg would take him…

"IRON REAVER…"

Edward dropped to the ground and swung his automail foot at Inuyasha's ankle. Inuyasha tripped mid-swing, falling forward. He tumbled into Cynthia, knocking them both to the ground.

Everyone was silent. Edward jumped back. "I'm sorry, sir, but you would have cut her into pieces…"

Inuyasha wasn't listening. Cynthia had propped herself up on her elbows, looking at Inuyasha's face, that was mere inches from hers. Cynthia shifted the weight onto one arm and, with the other, reached up and rubbed one of Inuyasha's ears. Then, with a sudden movement, she grabbed the ear and pulled. With a yelp, Inuyasha was tossed to the side.

Cynthia picked herself up. "You've just convinced me that I don't need to learn ANYTHING from you."

"THAT WASN'T MY FAULT!" Inuyasha protested, sitting up and rubbing his ear. "Edward Elric, you have detention with me for the next MONTH!"

Edward sighed. "I'm sorry, sir, but I've seen what you can do to trees with your claws, but to a human…"

"It's her fault for being a human!" He raged. "If she was a demon she would have been fine!"

"I'm leaving." Cynthia grabbed the halberd and pulled it out of the wooden floor. "And I claim this!"

Edward looked at Inuyasha, then Cynthia, who just made it out the door. "CYNTHIA! You can't just leave!"

"Let 'er." Inuyasha sniffed. "Everyone just get with your sparring partners…"

* * *

Cynthia walked in the hall, the halberd narrowly missing the wall. "Stupid…" She growled.

A black haired woman walked by her, ducking under the halberd. _Huh? _She thought, turning around. "Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

Cynthia cast her a glace over her shoulder. "Aren't you?"

"I'm a teacher here!" She replied, smiling. She held out a hand. "I'm Kagome Higurashi, I teach archery."

"Oh…" Cynthia shook her hand. "I'm Cynthia Suhn. I'm new here, this is my first day…"

"Did you have trouble with Inuyasha?" Kagome sighed. "I'll talk to him about it in the teacher's lounge. You go get ready for archery."

"Yes, Miss. Kagome!"


	2. Chapter 2

Edward left the training hall later. Students had ten minutes in between classes to take up time, so Edward set off to find Cynthia. He tried to go back to his dorm room, but was stopped by a crowd of people, including Alphonse.

"Al!" Edward tapped his shoulder "What's going on?"

"It's Cynthia." Alphonse looked at him. "She won't move…"

"What's she…" Edward pushed through the crowd, then sighed. "Cynthia…"

Cynthia was sitting against the wall, her halberd laid across the length of the hall. She kept lifting the sword, then dropping it, over and over. It wasn't very face, but the cut through the air just enough to scare someone. Hey, she COULD cut someone's foot off.

"Cynthia, what are you doing?" Edward asked. "You're keeping everyone from their dorms!"

Cynthia said nothing. Edward knelt down next to her and wave his fingers across her eyes.

He stood up and cleared his throat. "Under close examination, I have discovered…"

The students leaned forward slightly, eager to find out what was with the blonde-haired girl with the halberd.

"…Cynthia Suhn…"

"Yeeesss…" Alphonse urged.

"…Is sleeping with her eyes open."

Alphonse sighed. "Well… Ed, pick her up and take her to her next class, will you?"

"What? Pick her up? I'm not picking her up with that halberd!"

"Ugh…" Alphonse walked over to Cynthia and gently pried her fingers from the halberd's hilt. "Now pick her up. I'll go tell Mr. Inuyasha and ask him to move the halberd."

"Thanks, Al…" Edward picked Cynthia up and closed her eyes with his fingers. When Alphonse looked at him quizzically, he said, "It's kinda creepy looking…"

* * *

Cynthia's eyes fluttered open. "Huh?" She sat up. It was one minute before archery started, and Edward was kneeling over her. "Cynthia? Are you okay?"

"Wha…" She sat up. "I must have dozed off…"

"With your EYES open?"

"Oh, not again." Cynthia sighed. "I taught myself to sleep with my eyes open while I was in the woods, in case any wild animals came along while I was sleeping…"

"Good afternoon, class!" Kagome walked in with her bow and a quiver of arrows. "Please go find your targets, we're going to just have some practice today."

"Damn." Cynthia picked up a bow and a quiver and walked to find a target. Edward chose a target next to her. Edward pulled back his bowstring and let the arrow fly, watching it thud into a center of the target with satisfaction.

Cynthia pulled back her own bowstring and let the arrow go. The arrow flew wide of the target and hit the wall twenty feet behind it. "Oh, damn… I am so bad with archery…"

Edward looked at her, a sweat drop falling down the back of his head. "Need some help, Cynthia?"

"No, no, I can do it myself." Cynthia replied. She tried once more, and did the same thing. "Damn." She tried this once more, and her arrows sailed so wide, that it thudded into Ed's target and not hers.

Edward put down his bow. "Cynthia…"

Cynthia gritted her teeth. "I hate this stupid…"

Edward's hands closed over hers, one on the bow and the other pulling back the bowstring. Cynthia could see his face over her shoulder. "You have to actually aim, not just pull and shoot. Put your finger straight next to the arrowhead, like this, so you can see where the arrow's gonna go…"

Cynthia blushed. The only time he had been this close to her was when he picked her up before…

Kagome looked over from where she was practicing with her bow. Her eyes fell on Edward and Cynthia. She smiled and returned to her bow, thinking, _just like me and Inuyasha in the old days… Except Inuyasha was always helping me._

Cynthia and Edward let go.

Thud.

"Yes!" Cynthia jumped up and down. "I hit my own target! And so close to the center! Thanks for your help, Edward!"

"Welcome. Try again, OK?" Edward stepped back.

Cynthia pulled back her arrow, but got a sly idea. She had felt… happy when Ed was so close to her… No one had really been nice to her. Her father was a businessman and her mother died early, so she lived with her grandparents, and her grandfather was a student at Lalaurana's, and that's why she was here, so…

So she purposely missed the target completely.

"Right…" Cynthia sighed. "This is harder than I thought, Ed! How did you get so good."

"Practice, Cynthia." Edward laughed. _And a metal arm that doesn't get tired or hurt._ He mentally added.

"Ed!"

Edward turned his head. Winry was running across towards him. "Ed, Miss. Angela said it's time for your monthly checkup." She relayed.

"Okay, Winry." Edward smiled at Cynthia. "I'll be right back okay? Try not to kill someone."

"Can do."

In truth, Ed and Winry weren't going to see the nurse, Miss. Angela. Winry had to take Ed to a hidden place so she could check in on his automail. The Elric home had collapsed five years before, when Edward was eleven and Alphonse was ten. Alphonse had made it out fine, but wooden spars jammed into Edward's arm and leg, and their mother, Trisha, was killed. So they came here.

Edward followed Winry back to the main training hall. No one would be there because sword practice was over. If anyone, Inuyasha would be there, and he knew about Edward, as did the other teachers.

* * *

Cynthia moaned and said she had a headache to get herself a trip to the nurse's. Once she saw Edward wasn't there, she left in search for him. _Something's up,_ She thought. _And I have to find out._

Edward took off his shirt (A/N: Exposing his sexy abs!) and held out his arm, sitting down on a small chair. "Hurry up, Winry. I have to go back and help Cynthia with her archery…"

Winry laughed and sat down next to him, popping the skin-colored casing from his arm, exposing the silver mechanics inside. She grabbed a screwdriver and began poking around through the wires and metal plates. "Little Ed has a crush!"

"Do not!" Edward protested. "I just met her this morning, she's my roommate! She's bad with archery, so I help her out."

"Oh, I see. So you're too shy to admit it to her."

"… Yeah." He sighed, shifting the metal arm Winry was toying with. "But my arm, and my leg… I just think she'd be scared. Think about it, Winry. You took advantage of a fatal accident to turn me into a machine. Having these artificial limbs has changed the way I look at some things. Now when I look at normal people, I envy them for having organic arms and legs. This metal… I can't feel anything. I can't feel your hands on my arm, or the pain of a cut. I miss it all, even the pain…"

Winry moved on to Ed's leg.

Ed pulled up his pant leg and held it for Winry. "You're the only person who knows, you and Russell. But when he graduated last month he left the school for some reason."

"Are you sure it's just me and Russell?" Winry asked, looking up from Edward's metal shin. "You seem tense whenever that guy and his two friends are around. Um… What are their names?"

"Envy, Lust and Wrath." Edward replied. He closed his eyes. "Yes, they know too. Wrath's nothing special. He's just a kid, anyway. Lust and Envy are like older siblings to him. Lust is really good at using her fists in battle, especially her nails. I've fought her, and she fights dirty. Envy is so flexible it's not even funny. Envy saw me once when I was getting ready for bed, and my shirt would go on, so I took off the casing on my arm and he walked in the saw me then. I'm just glad he didn't tell anyone else. But now, anything he wants me to do, he gets me to do."

"That's not fair!" Winry replied. "That bastard! Just throw him in the woods and be done with it. Or get some dirt on him!"

"I've been trying to!" Edward replied, sighing. "I've been trying to dig up dirt on Envy for years, yet I never found anything. He's as perfect as his weird palm-tree hair." Edward idly moved his arm back and forth, watching the mechanics twist and turn.

Cynthia peered around the door. Edward's back was to her, and Winry didn't see her come in. She took several steps toward them, her bare feet silent on the wooden floor. Her emerald eyes were fixed on his metal arm, watching it go back and forth as he turned it.

Winry lifted her eyes. "Listen, Ed, just deal with it. I'll…" Her eyes shifted to Cynthia, who was just ten feet behind Ed. Her sapphire eyes widened.

"What, Winry?" Edward blinked. "What are…" He turned his head to look over his shoulder, at Cynthia, who was staring at his arm, still. Cynthia lifted her eyes to his, staring into them deeply before turning around and running out.

"Cynthia!" Edward called after her. "Wait!"

* * *

Cynthia ran all the way across the school. She ran down a hallway that stopped at a dead end, cursing when she found this out. But, to her advantage, there was no one around to hear her. She sat down and scooted herself into the corner, hugging her knees and resting her chin on them. _I probably wasn't supposed to see that…_ She closed her eyes, but all she could see was Edward's automail arm. _I think I hurt Ed's feelings…_

Wrath was bored, bored out of his mind. He had ditched his class, hand-to-hand, and was now wandering the halls. He was in Alphonse's grade, so he was in his classes. He decided to head back down to his dorm. He skipped through the halls of Lalaurana's school, until he looked down a random hallway and saw Cynthia and at the far side. "A girl?" he asked himself. "…Older girl."

So he turned and proceeded towards her.

One he was close, he asked, "Is something wrong?"

Cynthia opened her eyes. "No."

"You're older. This is the side of the school for younger kids. Why are you here? You should be on your side."

"Give me one good reason why I should care."

"You seem angry. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Liar."

"I…" Cynthia's eyes shot to look away from Wrath. "I just saw something I shouldn't have, okay?"

Wrath furrowed his brow, trying to register what that meant. So… "Aren't you the girl who blocked the hall with her halberd?"

"Shut up."

"So you are! Why did you do that, anyway?"

"I don't know, kid. Leave me alone!"

Wrath paused. "You're lost, aren't you?"

Cynthia sweatdropped. "Yes."

"Come on, I'll take you back to my dorm room. Envy will be back with Lust after armed combat, okay?"

"Okay, fine. So what's your name anyway, kid?" Cynthia asked, standing up.

"I'm Wrath! And you are?"


	3. Chapter 3

Edward had left the training hall long ago, popping the casing back on his arm and leg. He went back to his room and just lay on his bunk, staring at the ceiling. The look in Cynthia's eyes could have been nothing more than terrified. His metal limbs had scared her…

_I feel…_ Edward covered his eyes with his arm. _Like… a machine…_

Alphonse knocked lightly on the door, then pushed his way in. "Brother, class just let out… Are you okay? Where's Cynthia?"

"I don't know…" He popped the casing from his arm. "Cynthia knows… And frankly, I think she's… Terrified."

"Oh, brother… To be feared by the girl you like…"

"I don't like her!" He growled angrily. Edward paused. "Have you seen Envy, Wrath or Lust lately?"

"I saw Envy and Lust leaving armed combat, but Wrath wasn't in hand to hand…"

"Really. For all we know, he could have met up with Cynthia."

* * *

"Wow…" Cynthia looked around, at the neat beds, the posters on the walls, and the other rich-looking things in Wrath's room. "Wrath, your room is so… Rich!"

"Yeah…" Wrath smiled. "Lust's parents are really, really rich…"

"Lust sounds like a nice…"

"WRATH!" The door swung open to reveal a black haired girl and a black haired boy. Lust was fuming. "What did I tell you about bringing people into our room?" She pointed a long nailed finger at Cynthia. "Get out!"

"NO!" Wrath whined. "She's my friend! I want her to stay!"

"Get her out of here right now!" Lust demanded.

"I dunno Lust…"

Cynthia blinked. And in the time it too her to, Envy jumped over and was now looking at her from inches away. All in all, when she got past his palm-tree hair, he was pretty handsome. "She's pretty cute. Maybe we can keep her!"

"Just what do you think I am, a dog?" Cynthia demanded. "You can't 'keep' a person!"

"I dunno…" Envy scratched the back of his head. "We 'keep' Edward Elric.'"

"I heard!" Cynthia growled. "You can't do that to people! That's cruel and unusual. Edward is not your toy!"

"Oh, but he is!" Cynthia suddenly found her hands pinned at her sides and her back against a wall. Envy smiled. "We use him for everything we could get in trouble for. We know something he doesn't want us to know so we use it against him. Now be a good girl and leave!"

"NO!" Wrath started to cry. "I want my friend to stay! Cynthia!"

"Mm, so you're Cynthia." Lust laughed, sitting on the edge of her bed. "The new student."

Wrath ran over and pounded Envy's side with his fists. "Let her go Envy!"

Envy let go of Cynthia and tossed Wrath onto a bed. "Give it a rest, half-pint…"

He glanced back up from Wrath. Cynthia had fled.

"I've decided: I want that Cynthia girl." Envy pouted. "Lust, help me dig up some dirt on her."

"Will do, Envy."

* * *

Cynthia returned to her room.

"Cynthia!" Edward sat up, alarmed. Alphonse was sitting in a chair at the desk, also looking at her. "Er…"

Cynthia, quietly, walked over to the bunk and hoisted herself onto Ed's bunk. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" He asked. Her looked into her eyes, that were sad. He never wanted to see that fear again.

"For running off. I was… Surprised. It's not every day you see a guy with a mechanical arm…"

"And leg." Alphonse added.

"…and leg."

"I totally understand… Just don't tell anyone, please!" Edward half-begged.

"I won't, promise." Cynthia laughed. She hopped off the bed. "It's fine, Ed. Don't worry about it. She pulled her halberd out of its sheath. "Are we allowed to go practice in the training hall after hours?"

"As long as Inuyasha's there." Edward smirked. "Just don't fall asleep in the hall again, okay?"

"I won't. Believe me."

* * *

Cynthia walked into the training hall. Inuyasha was over towards the far wall, setting up racks and racks of swords. Before Envy and Lust could dig up any dirt, Cynthia decided she should make up with everyone who could possibly get mad at her. Hence making up with Ed.

Inuyasha cast her a glare. "Oh look, it's little miss Respect."

"Listen…" She sighed. "I'm sorry I was like that, Inuyasha. It's a thing with my family, we're all hot headed. I'm new here, remember."

She held out a hand. Inuyasha stared at it.

"Let's just call a truce."

Inuyasha shook her hand. "Fine…" He muttered.

"CYNTHIA!"

"Eek!" Cynthia flinched. Wrath hugged her legs. "Hi Cynthia!"

"Oh. Hi Wrath." Cynthia smiled.

There was a moment of silence. "Why are you hugging my legs?"

"Because you're too tall."

"Right." She freed herself from Wrath. "I have to go back to my dorm now, okay?"

"NO! IWANTYOUTOCOMEBACKTOMYDORMPLEASEPLEASE?" Tears bubbled up to Wrath's eyes.

"You remember the LAST TIME I went to your room?"

Another silence.

"…No?"

"I'm sorry, Wrath, but I have to leave now."

"No fair…"

* * *

It was the next morning, and also, Cynthia Suhn's very first hand to hand combat class. She and Edward got together as sparring partners, because Edward didn't want to be paired up with Envy, and Cynthia didn't want to be with Lust. Envy chose his friend and Lust was paired up with some poor girl, to Edward and Cynthia's enjoyment.

There were dozens of small circles on the ground of the hand-to-hand combat hall. Genma Saotome, the martial arts teacher, selected one for each pair.

So Cynthia and Edward began to spar. They were not at equal skill; Edward was much more skilled than Cynthia. Cynthia was just stronger than Edward.

The bell rang, Cynthia and Edward waited ten minutes, and went to their next class, swordplay.

* * *

A tiny black pig stood shivering in the snow. Yes, this was Ryouga Hibiki, the boy with the worst sense of direction on earth and, in addition to that, turns into a pig when splashed with cold water. Too much snow had melted on him, and so he became a pig. He had dragged his backpack with him the whole way to the school, his one-ton umbrella being the hardest to tow. But he managed. Ryouga had been caught in the forest for longer than any other student in LSIG's history, but luckily, it was a island, and he couldn't stay lost for TOO long.

Now was the task of getting his things up the front steps.

* * *

Cynthia grabbed her halberd, and Edward took a katana from the half-empty sword rack. They sat down and waited for Inuyasha to come. He soon did, and too told them to get with their sparring partners. Cynthia and Edward chose each other immediately, but Inuyasha said, "Ed, go find someone else. I'll spar with Cynthia, her halberd would break your katana."

Edward gave Cynthia a 'good luck' glance, then set off and paired up with someone else.

Cynthia twirled her halberd and looked around. "Inuyasha, there's too many people. I can't swing my halberd without killing somebody."

"Would you rather fight outside?"

"…Yes."

"… I despise you."

"No you don't.

"Shut up."

* * *

Ryouga had dragged his things up the first two stairs. Right. Only six to go. Suddenly the door burst open, and two humans… A human and some king of dog-thing… Flew out, the human battering away at the dog-things sword with her halberd.

Ryouga jumped back, squealing. But then he sat down to watch. The human's halberd looked heavy.

…

Someone to help him bring in his things!

Cynthia simply hacked away at Inuyasha with her halberd, with a never-ending fountain of energy. Inuyasha did not expect such speed, and made a mental note of it for the future. The Tetsusaiga stung his hands every time Cynthia's halberd clashed forcefully against it. This went on for some time.

LONGER than some time. Finally, Cynthia felt the halberd wrenched from her grasp, hearing the hiss as it flew off into the trees. However, Inuyasha's sword flew off in the opposite direction.

"There." Cynthia muttered. "A draw."

"Fine…" Inuyasha pulled his sword from the timbers of a tree, as did Cynthia. She turned back to the stairs, where she saw a small black pig, a snow-covered backpack and an umbrella.

"Aw, how cute." She picked up the pig. "My, you're cold!"

Ryouga oinked and squirmed.

"Calm down." She picked up the backpack. "Hm? Whatever. I'll put this in my room… Inuyasha!"

She turned to the half-demon. "Are we allowed to keep animals?"

"As long as they don't crap on the floor."

* * *

"Here." Cynthia put Ryouga down on her bed and wrapped him in a small blanket. The black pig oinked. He was suddenly warm and very cozy.

"Do you have an owner?" Cynthia's fingers slipped along the bandana around his neck. "Surely you didn't put this on yourself?"

Ryouga shivered at the feel of her fingers on his bandana. He shook his head.

"Oh, that's not good. How about you stay with me for a while?"

Ryouga shook his head strongly and shrugged off the blanket. _No! I have to enroll and get my own room!_ He thought.

"Aw… At least stay to meet Ed!"

Ryouga shrugged. _Why not? But I do need to get my dorm room and enroll so I can train to fight Ranma…_

Edward and Alphonse walked in the room, chatting with each other quietly. Two of the fingers on Edward's right hand were pulled all the way back, in an inhuman way. Ryouga's piggy-eyes widened. It wasn't the injury, it was the fact that Edward didn't seem bothered by it.

"Hey, Ed! Al!" Cynthia flashed a smile. Then her eyes shifted to his hand. "What happened?"

"Ugh…" Ed sighed and jumped onto his bed. "My sparring partner did it. I had to fake scream."

_Fake? _Ryouga thought.

"Oh. Why don't you just push them back?"

"They're jammed pretty hard, and my organic hand can't push them back. Could you do it?"

"Sure. Pop off your casing."

_Casing? _Ryouga thought, oinking.

Edward looked at him. "What the Hell is that?"

"A pig. I didn't name him, because he might already have a name!" Cynthia beckoned to the chair at the desk. "Come here and sit down."

Edward did so, popping his casing and holding out his arm. "Here…"

With a metallic squeak, Cynthia pushed his fingers back. Edward wiggled them. "Thanks."

Ryouga stared with wide eyes. _What the…_

"Oh, my!" Cynthia picked him up and rubbed a finger delicately on one of his ears. "You're filthy! I'll go give you a bath, okay?"

Ryouga's eyes widened. He oinked and squirmed, but Cynthia, being the strong girl she was, held on. "Come on, it can't be that bad! It's just a little hot water!"

_That's what I'm worried about._

Cynthia had a firm hold on Ryouga's bandana by the time the bath filled to the top. "Come on, little guy. Who knows how long you were in that forest? Days?"

_Months._

"Bottom line, you're filthy." She finally turned off the water and swirling it around with one hand. "I didn't think you wanted bubbles, being a pig and all. Sure, people say you like rolling in mud and stuff, but I believe that there CAN actually be a clean pig in this world."

* * *

Edward lounged on his bed, his eyes closed in thought. The door squeaked. _Al is probably going back to his room, _he thought. But a note flew through the air and struck his nose, just as the door slammed shut again. He opened one eye and picked the note off his chest, unfolding it and scanning over the lines of a messy scrawl.

_Meet me at the HTH training hall __9:00 pm_

HTH was an abbreviation for hand to hand. Edward, with no doubt, knew it was Envy. And for all he knew, it could be a horrible, embarrassing trap.

Nevertheless, he glanced into the open door to the bathroom and said, "I'm going out."

"After hours?" Cynthia looked up from the tub, Ryouga, still dry, in her arms.

"Yeah… It's… Business."

"Whatever. If you get in trouble, I had nothing to do with it."

"Right.

"I guess I'll go too…" Alphonse said, standing. "I have to go back to my room anyway."

Alphonse and Edward left. For a while, they walked side by side and silence, until they came to the corner where Edward and Alphonse parted.

"Al." Edward caught his brother by the shoulder. "Was it Envy who threw me this note?" He asked, holding the note loosely in between his fingers.

"No, it was Wrath." Alphonse replied. "Envy's delivery boy."

* * *

"Hehe." Cynthia hugged Ryouga. "In you go!"

Ryouga scrambled, his pig legs nearly touching the water. _… Damn. This is very, very…_ He did not get to finish his thought. His head went underwater.

Cynthia turned around. "Don't worry, little piggy! I'll get you all cleaned up, then when it gets warm I'll take you to look for your owner… if you have one, anyway."

She turned back around and stared into the annoyed face of Ryouga.

Blink. She timidly reached up and unraveled one of the ten-odd bandana's Ryouga wore and held it delicately in her hands.

"Oh my God, you're that pig."


	4. Chapter 4

Edward entered the HTH training hall. The heat in the big room had been turned off, so it was deathly cold and quiet. He walked in to the middle of the room and looked around. He heard a sound behind him and didn't flinch. "What do you want now, Envy?"

"Aw, how'd you know it was me?"

"Shut up and get to the point."

"I want Cynthia." Envy declared. "She's strong and smart, and hot, and I want her. SO I need YOU to dig up some dirt on her!"

"Me?" Edward turned on his heel. "Do it yourself. I won't do it."

"Yes you will!" Envy popped up next to him and popped the casing on his arm. "Or I'll expose your little secret to the school."

Edward glared at him.

"Choose any method you want." Envy said airily. "Force, begging…" He smirked slyly. "…Seduction."

"Pervert."

"No name calling! That's cheat!"

"Listen, can't this just wait?" Edward crossed his arms. "Cynthia found this pig today, and it's actually pretty intelligent, so I'm going to help her take care of it, okay? Once she sets it free I'll do your bidding…" Edward stalked off before Envy could refuse this statement.

"An intelligent black pig, hm…" Envy muttered as he went back to his dorm. He remembered something from a certain book about the legends of China.

* * *

"… And _that's_ what happened." Ryouga finished. He was dressed and Cynthia was still red in the cheeks. "And I fell in love with a girl named Akane but she's Ranma fiancé so I'm set on killing Ranma but he's WAY to good but I won't admit defeat so I came here to get better at martial arts."

"Maybe you should just give up on this girl and pursue someone else." Cynthia said, obviously bored. She was on Edward's bed, lying on her back, her hair falling over the edge. Ryouga was in the chair at the desk Alphonse usually sits at. "I mean come on, she's engaged."

"No!" Ryouga leapt up. "I shall not give up on my true love!"

"Man you're weird."

Edward pushed open the door, nearly stubbing his toe on Cynthia's halberd. "Cynthia, move your crap…" He blinked and stared at Ryouga.

Ryouga stared at him.

Edward pointed and said, "Who?"

"His name is Ryouga Hibiki." Cynthia replied. "He's the cute black pig."

Ryouga blushed.

"He ain't that cute anymore, is he?" Edward smirked.

"You're so rude, Ed. What did Envy want?"

Edward flinched. Did she follow him? Of course not… "Envy? What makes you think I was leaving to see Envy?" He jumped up next to Cynthia on his bed. Cynthia snatched the letter from his pocket. "This, duh."

Edward snatched it back. "It wasn't Envy. It was someone else."

"Oh yeah?" Cynthia snickered. "Who?"

"None of your business." He glared at Ryouga. "So you're that pig. How did you turn back?"

Ryouga and Cynthia averted their eyes from each other. Ryouga rubbed the back of his head. "Don't ask."

Edward relaxed against the wall. "Whatever." He looked out a window, then averted his eyes. Envy was sitting in a snow-covered tree, sliding a hand across his neck and mouthing, "Get that dirt or else!"

"Ryouga, why don't you go enroll with Lalaurana?" Edward suggested, shifting to hide the window from Cynthia's view.

Ryouga nodded. "Right." He stood up and grabbed his pack and umbrella. "I'll see you around school, I guess." He looked at Cynthia and bowed, blushing slightly. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Just go hurry up to the main office!" Cynthia waved as he went out and sat up on Edward's bunk. "I'm so bored…"

"And alone we are, again. What time is it?"

Cynthia turned her gaze to the clock. "Nine thirty. Why?"

"Just wondering." Edward looked out the window again. "Listen. I want you to duck under the window for a second."

"Um…" Cynthia flipped off the bed and ducked. "Why?"

Edward ducked too. "Envy is blackmailing me. He wants me to get dirt on you, so he can blackmail you into being his girlfriend, or something. He 'wants' you, as one of his 'friends.'"

"That's just…"

Cynthia peeked over the window. Envy was gone.

"…SICK!"

"Yeah. I know. Is Envy gone?"

"Yeah, why else would I have screamed?"

Edward looked down at the ground from the window. Envy had actually fallen out of the tree. "Stand up, so Envy can see us…"

He popped the casing on his arm and stood. Cynthia did the same, except the part with the casing. And so Edward began to explain exactly how Envy was blackmailing him and what was going on Cynthia nodded at the appropriate times.

* * *

Envy watched this. So Ed was telling Cynthia what was going on, then begging for her help? He would have done it a different way. Probably seduction because, well, he was Envy. And Cynthia was hot. But back on topic.

He watched Edward and Cynthia converse for several minutes, almost falling asleep. But then he saw Cynthia lifted her eyes to Edward's face and hug him. Edward hugged her back.

_Aw, how sweet._ Envy thought sarcastically. _Cynthia is going to try to help Edward…

* * *

_In truth, it was anything but that. Cynthia surprised Ed with that hug, making him blush and timidly return the hug. Time seemed to freeze to Cynthia. Her eyes were hand closed, and her face was buried in his shoulder. She felt small in his arms, even though they were the same size. Despite his metal arm, she felt warm, and safe. Cynthia liked the smell of his skin through his uniform.

"What's wrong?"

The words cut though the silence like a knife. Cynthia could hear his words very clearly from so close.

"Nothing." Compared to his, Cynthia heard her voice to be small and high-pitched. "I just feel…"

"What?"

"… I don't know. Small, afraid." She noticed something from the corner of her eye; Envy, climbing down the tree.

"Envy's gone, you know."

"Yeah…"

Cynthia let go and looked at the floor. "I'm…"

"It's OK, really…"

Cynthia swayed slightly. She closed her eyes and felt pressure in her head, as if she were trying to remember something…

* * *

"What are we doing here?"

Rini looked at the school, pulling her jacket closer. It was cold, but surely it was warm inside?

Amy looked up from her blinking mini computer. "I need to study the form of martial arts."

Lita flexed her fingers. "I want to enroll for a little while!"

Raye sighed. "I want to practice archery here."

Mina grinned. "I want to meet hot karate guys!"

Serena glared at Luna on her shoulder. "I have no reason to come here."

Luna opened one eye. "This is very important, Serena! I sense strange power here, power worthy of a sailor scout."

"So why didn't you bring Setsuna, Michiru or Haruka?"

"Because. Lita, please lead on into the office. There should be signs on the walls."

* * *

All of them stood in a line, looking at the same sign. The sign was written in many forms of Chinese and English, but…

"It's not in Japanese." Lita said after a while.

Inuyasha happened to be walking by at the time. He looked over. "Are you lost?"

"Yes!" Amy smiled. "Can you help us? You need a Japanese translation, you know."

"Huh? Oh, yeah. We have to get to that…" He pressed the button in the intercom.

"Lalaurana." Lalaurana's voice said.

"Hey, La, it's Inuyasha." He replied. "We have some kids down here that need to find the office. Could you send someone to get them?"

"Sure, sure. I'll buzz for Cynthia, wait a sec…"

The speaker clicked off. "Cynthia will come and get you soon. I'd give you a tour myself, but I'm busy. Cynthia is new and needs to work on directions anyway."

"Wait!" Lita caught him by the shoulder. "Lalaurana? Isn't she founder of this school?"

"Yeah."

"And wasn't the school founded a hundred years ago?"

"Yes. This current Lalaurana is the original's granddaughter. And her daughter-in-law is Cynthia."

"I see…"

* * *

"Cynthia?"

Lalaurana's voice crackled over the speakers. Cynthia looked up. "Sensei Lalaurana?"

"We have some girls on the first floor. Could you please take them to the front office?"

"Of course, Sensei. We'll be there soon…"

The speaker clicked off. "Come on, Ed. Let's go."

She grabbed her halberd, just in case.

* * *

"Hello?"

The girls turned their heads, only for their eyes to fall on a girl with a six-foot halberd. Cynthia smiled. "You must be the girls Lalaurana said. I'm Cynthia…" She cocked her head towards a blonde-haired boy next to her. "This is Edward."

However, their eyes were still fixed on her halberd. It was Amy who finally broke the silence. "Of course!" She smiled. "I'm Amy, and this is Lita, Mina, Raye, Serena and Rini. We're here on strict business."

Cynthia nodded. "Sure. Come with me."

Minutes later Cynthia led them all into the main office. She set down her halberd and went to the front desk, telling the receptionist that the girls were here to see Lalaurana. When she turned around, Lita was trying to lift her halberd.

"God, what does this weight, like, a ton?" Lita asked, grunting and dropping it.

"Yes, exactly. Inuyasha says it weights 2,582 pounds."

Amy smiled and shook her head.

Lalaurana, fiery hair and all, skipped out from her office. "Hello, hello, hello, hello!" She said optimistically. "You must be the girls that called earlier!"

She pointed at each. "You want to enroll for your stay, you want to study the statistics, you want to practice archery, you two have no reason for coming, and you want to meet hot karate guys."

Lalaurana pulled Mina aside for a second. "If you want my opinion, go for Edward, or Envy!"

"Right."

Lalaurana punched in Envy's room number.

"Hello?"

"Wrath?"

"Sensei Lalaurana!"

"Is Envy in? Don't tell me he's wandering campus at this hour!"

"No, he's in."

"Tell him to come to the office, please."

Minutes later Envy looked around the door. "Yes, Sensei?" He emerged fully into the office, his palm-tree hair as springy as always.

Mina's heart leapt from her chest. "Lalaurana, he is hot!"

"He's not so special." Cynthia was looking at her nails, wondering if Lust had any good nail polish. She may be mean, but she was stylish.

Envy just stared at Mina. Mina looked a lot like Cynthia, but with a different shade of hair. But Mina looked wimpy.

"NOT SO SPECIAL!" Envy grabbed her hand and spun her out, then pulling her back into a dip. "TELL ME that wasn't special!"

Cynthia stared at him blankly. "I can say it in two languages. That was not special, _futsu wasu notsu supeshiaru_."

"HOW CAN YOU SAY NO TO THAT FACE?" Mina protested, lifting a finger to make her point.

"Once you get around his looks, it's pretty easy."

"Envy! Please show these girls to two empty dorm rooms. Take Edward and bring their luggage." Lalaurana ordered.

"Yes, sensei!" He gently swung Cynthia around, where Edward caught her.

"I'll come too." Cynthia said, glancing uneasily at Edward.

"It's so sweet that you want to come with me!" Envy grinned, kicking Edward aside.

"I just want to make sure you don't make Ed do anything stupid!" She hissed.

"What was that?" Amy asked, looking at her from the doorway.

"Uhh… NOTHING! Absolutely nothing! Hahaha!" Cynthia rubbed the back of her head. "Envy, Ed, let's go help the girls get their luggage!"


	5. Chapter 5

"Lalaurana has assigned you the rooms 582 and 583." Edward explained. Envy and Cynthia were behind the group, carrying luggage.

Edward opened the door. "I'm sorry if it's cramped. These rooms are intended for two or three people only. Well, I guess you could divide you evenly. Hm… Cynthia, you're good with math. Set them up do they don't kill each other."

"Right."

"Now, um, I have to do something." Edward left the room. "See you later."

Once Edward disappeared down the hall, Cynthia pointed. "Alright. Serena, Rini, and Mina in 582, Raye, Amy and Lita in the other. There is a bunk bed and a single bed, so I suggest Raye and Mina get the single beds. Rini and Amy on the top bunk, Serena and Lita on the bottom. Okay?"

"Why do I have to sleep on the bottom?" Serena complained.

"Because if something happens, you don't want to crush Rini, do you? I'm assuming you're heavier than she is."

"Are you calling me fat?"

"No, I…"

"YOU WERE!"

"No, I wasn't. Listen, just go and unpack your stuff." She shot Envy an angry glare. "I need to speak to Envy alone."

"Ooh, alone?" Envy hopped with excitement. "As in… Privately?"

"Shut up and come on."

Cynthia and Envy left. The girls filed into their rooms. Raye put her bow and arrows next to the door. "It was smart of her to separate Mina and I…" She muttered. "We would have killed each other."

"I was wondering…" Lita looked out a window. "What will happen to Crossroads while we're gone? What if a new enemy appears?"

"If a new enemy appears, it will be here." Amy replied, hooking up her laptop to charge. "All of our star power is here, unless they go after Setsuna, Haruka or Michiru first. And knowing them, they'll take care of it as quick as they can."

"True, true."

* * *

Cynthia and Envy walked side by side back down the hall.

"Envy, listen." She began. "I like you… A lot… But it's your personality that I hate. You blackmail Ed like he is unintelligent, inferior…"

"But he IS unintelligent and inferior!"

"NO he's NOT!" She shouted. Some heads looked out doors, but soon receded. Envy jumped.

"Edward is nice, and smart, and just because you know something doesn't mean you can control him! If you actually took the god damn time to get to know him you might like him."

"I see. So you like that two-limbed freak."

"DON'T CALL HIM THAT!"

"It's… Nice of you to try to change my mind about things." Envy looked at the ceiling, a rather insane grin on his face. "But I regret to inform you that Edward is my slave. Whatever I ask, he has to do, or I'll tell the world his two-limbed secret. It all revolves around blackmail, which is my method, my strategy, you might call it. No matter what you try to do, no matter how well thought out or half-assed it is, I hold all the cards."

This is where they stopped outside of Cynthia's room. Envy brushed a strand of palm-tree hair out of his face, lifting his dark eyes to Cynthia. Her emerald eyes dripped bitter tears, unable to hold them inside.

No matter how flexible Envy was, the punch from Cynthia's right hand started to ache before her knuckles even missed his cheekbone. He leaned back as the violent hand swung a fraction from his face. "No need to turn to violence, Cynthia!" he said nervously, knowing that if he was slower or less flexible, Cynthia would brutally kill him.

The punch had been out of pure hatred. Envy was… "You are…" Cynthia began, closing her eyes, pushing out even more tears. "The cruelest, foul person I have ever met! I have known many a mean person in my life, but your evil outranks them by more than a little." Her eyes snapped open. "I want you to just curl up and burn in the fiery depths of Hell."

"Such a compliment from such a lovely woman." Envy smirked. "You're very strong willed and courageous, yet gentle and sweet at the same time. Such a… Strange, you might say, mix of personalities, that would be terrible in someone else. However, you pull it off quite well. And that, my lovely Cynthia, is why I want you."

Cynthia's knuckles cracked. Before Envy knew it, she had darted into her room and slammed the door in his face.

"Such ferocity."

* * *

Birds twittered in the morning light, waking Cynthia up. She had toppled onto her bed without so much as showering, falling asleep instantly, dreaming of Envy. Such cruelty, yet…

No. What the Hell was she thinking?

"Wake UP!"

Edward looked over his bunk down at her. "Hello, it's like 6:30, we have to be in class by 7:00, remember?"

"Where were you last night?"

"You'll find out in hand to hand." He winked. "It has to do with the military. It all depends on if you like military men."

"Oh, comfort and joy."

* * *

"Class, we have some special guests."

Genma looked at all the familiar faces of his students. He didn't see Cynthia…

"The military personnel of a country called Amestris have come to visit. Colonel Roy Mustang, and Lieutenants Riza Hawkeye and Jean Havoc."

They came out, and there was applause.

"We're just here for a quick visit." Roy began. "You know, to show you what the military life is like. We all have certain abilities. I use something called 'alchemy' to fight, Hawkeye is just amazing with a gun, and… Havoc hasn't died of lung cancer yet."

"I hold that as a good thing, thank you." Havoc muttered.

"So who knows what alchemy is?"

Edward's hand shot up.

"You."

"Alchemy is the science of changing one substance to another. Alchemy has three steps to perform a transmutation. The first step is understanding in which a person understands the molecular composition of an object. The second step is decomposition in which all bonds in the substance are broken through the use of alchemic energy and the final step is reconstruction in which those atoms are reconstructed into something new. Very good alchemists can also change the atom's element into something different, too." He relayed from memory.

Roy pointed at him and looked at Riza. "Amazing."

"Erk…"

Roy turned his head to the door. There stood Cynthia, tired, and late. Her halberd was firmly laid across her shoulders. "I'm sorry I'm late, Mr. Saotome…"

"Be careful, Cynthia." Genma warned. "We have guests. I don't want you swinging that thing around like you did in swordplay."

"Yes, Mr. Saotome." She made a quick bow. "I'm sorry, Mr. Saotome."

"Cynthia, see me after class. Tardiness is not accepted in Lalaurana's school for indiscriminate grappling. Two days detention."

"Mr. Saotome, Mr. Saotome…" Roy began casually. "Don't be too hard on the girl. "It's obvious she is new and needs to learn her way around is all."

Cynthia blushed. Damn, he was hot. And she came too late to learn his name! "Yes, sir…" She bowed and looked at the floor. "I just arrived at Lalaurana's two days ago. I have a bad sense of direction."

_Not nearly as bad as Ryouga Hibiki's, _Genma thought, chuckling silently.

"Nonsense! You made your way here, didn't you!"

Hawkeye looked at her colonel. He was so… Cheerful. She looked at Cynthia and discovered the answer. _Colonel, don't. She's too young to hit on._ Riza thought, sighing.

"I guess so…"

"Then you're learning just fine!"

Cynthia bit her lip. "No, sir, I am not."

"Excuse me? Talking back to a military officer?"

Something in Cynthia's head throbbed. "My sense of direction is bad. My battles go nowhere. I cannot control my anger. I have no specific tactic. Edward can kick my ass whenever we spar in hand to hand. I have no patience. I have no sensitivity, and I have no regret. The most sensitive thing I've ever done is take care of a pig, which I soon later had to release. There are many secrets in my family in which I do not understand, and…" She looked at Lalaurana, who was in a corner. Lalaurana nodded, telling her that it was okay to say it… The main secret of the Suhn family, the one Cynthia understood…

"OK, enough."

Everyone turned. Edward had stood up and made his way through the crowd towards Cynthia. It was then Cynthia realized she was crying. Her closed her eyes, letting her tears fall down her cheeks. Edward took her halberd in his right hand, but she wouldn't let go.

"You shouldn't have gotten into it." He said, as he pried one of her fingers from the hilt. "It was uncalled for. You can't control your emotions." The second finger was pried away. "Cynthia Suhn, you are amazing. You should never put yourself down like that." The third one lifted. Cynthia's grip was loosening. Edward took the hilt in his right hand and pulled. It came away with ease, where Edward set it against a wall. Cynthia fell to her knees, sitting back on her feet. She looked up at Ed, who slipped his arms around her and picked her up.

"Mr. Saotome? Can I take Cynthia back to her room?" He asked. His own eyes had begun to tear.

"Yes."

"Thank you." He bowed to Roy, Hawkeye and Havoc. "I'm sorry. My f… Cynthia has been a little… Emotional, lately. Please excuse us."

"It's no problem. Bring her back later, please." Roy waved them away. He looked at his subordinate with a strange eye. "Hawkeye? Are you crying?"

"No, sir! That's absolutely absurd! Please, get on with the demonstration."

* * *

Edward stood next to Cynthia's bed, head bent, as if mourning a dead person. Cynthia hugged her pillow, facing the opposite wall, curled up into a tight ball. Her head throbbed painfully, remember a reoccurring dream.

Everything was white. She was in some strange white place. Two giant, golden doors stood before her, opening, as if welcoming her in. However, the golden doors were floating, high in the air. However, she could see light coming from the other side. She would always be on the ground, reaching for it, anxiously trying to grasp it in her hands. She always woke up crying from reasons unknown.

"Edward…"

Her voice startled him. It was small, scared… Barely a whisper.

"What?" He lifted his face. She rolled over.

"Ed… Why do you care so much?"

Edward was taken aback by the question. "What do you mean?"

"You care so much about my happiness. You told me about Envy. You brought me back to my room numerous times. You got me excused from hand to hand due to depression." She closed her eyes briefly. "Why?"

"Because I care about you. You're my friend, and I care about my friends. When you're sad, I am sad."

"That wasn't the question. I asked exactly why you care."

"…Because…" He looked away. "Deep down, I just… I just feel like I need to care for you, you know. Help you out, protect you when you should be the one protecting me."

There was an explosion from downstairs. There were screams, followed by a loud, "CRAP! DID I OVERDO IT?"

Cynthia was filled with a new passion. Something had obviously happened, something bad. She leapt up and ran back to HTH with Edward, not bothering to look for her halberd, because they had left it there.

The hand to hand training hall was no more.

It was completely blackened by fire. Several lay injured, and the other students were backed against a wall. In the one place that was untouched by fire, Roy argued with his subordinates.

"I didn't mean to!"

"SIR, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THIS WILL COST?"

"Really, Roy! This'll cost more than the Fuhrer's fortune!"

"I'm sorry! I so overdid it, I admit it! The air is different here, there's more chemicals!"

Cynthia picked up her halberd. "Don't give me that crap."

Roy turned to look at her, and suddenly became as chipper as he was before. "Cynthia! You look much better. I'm amazed that one could recover…" He stopped when he found the blade lingering at his throat.

"You… Bastard!" Cynthia raged. "You've just completely destroyed MY hand to hand combat hall! This will cost thousands of dollars to repair! What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I'm, uh, sorry?" Roy replied.

"SORRY DOESN'T CUT IT, BUSTER!"

Cynthia felt the halberd being torn from her grasp. Envy tossed it against a wall. "Cynthia, my lovely Cynthia, there is no need to shout. The military can call in an alchemist to fix the hand to hand combat hall, okay?"

"What are you doing?" Edward hissed.

"I'm keeping her busy!" Envy hissed back. "Talk to them, try to find out what they plan to do about it!"

"Well, um, palm-tree head is right." Roy shrugged. "We can just call in an alchemist to fix it all up. It'll be good as new, so there's no worries, OK?"

"Yeah, um, how long until they fix it?" Edward asked. He cast his gaze to the side, watching Cynthia grapple with Envy to get her halberd back.

"Well, only a matter of h…" Roy looked to the side. "NO! DAMMIT!"

Their small helicopter was still burning. "And thus, we can't go home."

"You and your subordinates can stay here. We have tons of rooms open, and they won't be filled until later in the year." Edward bowed slightly. "We will do anything we can to make your stay comfortable."

"Talk about hospitality," Havoc muttered.

The sailor scouts arrived soon later. "What happened?" Mars asked, stringing her Mars bow.

"I, um, sort of blew up the combat hall." Roy admitted.

"And exactly how do you plan to pay for these damages?" Amy asked.

"If you came earlier, you would have known we're going to call in a alchemist to fix it all." Roy explained for the second time. "So, do you have a phone?"

"I'LL TAKE YOU TO THE OFFICE!" Cynthia ran away from Envy to Roy. So maybe he did blow up the combat hall. He was damn hot. "Sensei Lalaurana has tons of phones and other junk there. Computers, phones, everything."

"How do you know? You've only been here for two days!" Lalaurana exclaimed from the corner.

"I was just in your office last night, remember?"

"Of course."

"I would be honored to have such a lovely woman escort me." Roy smirked. Cynthia blushed and giggled. Roy shot Hawkeye a '_she's not too young to hit on is she?'_ glance.

Cynthia took his arm and led him out. "So how is military life?" She asked. "It must be so hard, to do all the paperwork and put up with your subordinates!"

_I bet she wouldn't do that if I were in the military._ Envy and Edward thought.


	6. Chapter 6

"Fury?"

"Colonel! Aren't you at that training school?"

Roy sighed. "Yes, Fury, I am. Unfortunately, our plane blew up and we need a ride home. I also want you to send a skilled alchemist, because the school's combat hall blew up too, and we need someone to fix it."

"Why don't you fix it, colonel?"

Roy glared at the phone. "Because I'm only good with fire, Fury. Not building."

"Sorry, colonel! I'll send a jet right away. Expect it in two to three days."

"Right. Thank you, Fury."

"No problem, colonel."

He hung up. Roy gently set the phone back on its cradle and looked at Cynthia. "We're out of here in two to three days, at the max. For the time being, we'll need two or three spare rooms."

"What do I look like, a lapdog?" Cynthia protested. "Ask the school personnel."

"What ever happened to being 'cute and cuddly?'"

"Cute and cuddly… Oh, please. Go FRY yourself."

"That's harder than you think, you know."

"Shut up."

A piece of paper was shoved into Roy's face. "What's this?"

"A tardiness slip. You held my up for swordplay, and now I need a written late slip."

Roy scribbled his name on the line. "There…"

"Thank you. Enjoy your stay, Colonel." She spun around and went back to the broken combat hall to retrieve her halberd.

"She'll be harder to turn than I thought…" Roy muttered. "However, not as hard as Hawkeye."

* * *

Roy leaned on the doorframe, watching the swordplay class. Inuyasha, as usual, had the class get with their sparring partners and practice. Roy was very interested in Cynthia and that Edward boy. Cynthia had been forced to change weapons, and when she came back from the armory, Roy was surprised at her choice. The blade was long, and curved, resembling a pirate's cutlass. In fact, Roy was pretty sure it WAS a pirate's cutlass.

He watched the two spar for a moment, then turned his eyes to someone else. Envy, and his friend, Lust. By close examination, Lust fought dirty. Ever so often Roy could see a sly kick, or a quick scratch. But Envy brought his katana down hard over Lust's head, which she narrowly deflected with her long knives. Envy jabbed at Lust's legs, making her dodge in such a way to make her trip over her feet. She landed on her back and had no time to move when she found the point of Envy's blade at her neck.

_Good fighter._ Roy thought.

Lust and Envy were finished with their spar, so they went to sit against the walls with several others pairs of students.

Cynthia and Edward were still fighting. Cynthia had a small bleeding cut on her cheek, and Edward's left sleeve was torn in two places. It was just hit and run with Cynthia; she would slice at Edward repeatedly, then pull back to dodge and defend. Edward, however, was all-offense. Jab, slice, slide, and swing. He had no actual defense.

In they end, Cynthia's blade was laid across Edward's head and Edward's was pressed against Cynthia's neck. A draw.

"OK, everyone, listen up." Inuyasha began. "We're gonna have a little history lesson."

He pointed up at the wall. High up, higher than anyone could jump, a halberd was mounted behind glass. "That is Bankotsu's halberd. It contains immense power, and two shards of a jewel called the Shikon no Tama."

"Inuyasha and I have hunted for a long time for the pieces of the ancient jewel," Kagome said, striding up with her bow. "In our younger days, it was all we did. But we have long since given up on the jewel, after we killed a terrible demon name Naraku. Bankotsu was one of his pawns, a man of immense skill with a halberd. We took his halberd, disabling his main skill. And there his halberd is today. It if forbidden to touch the sacred halberd, for it still carries a great evil."

Cynthia had returned her cutlass and got back her halberd in time to hear this. She blinked and suddenly got a light headache. _Bankotsu. _She thought. _Where have I heard that before? _

Inuyasha looked at Cynthia. Her gaze was fixed on Bankotsu's halberd. Her examined they way she stood, the way she held her halberd. Inuyasha knew she had no relation to Bankotsu at all.

"It has been ten years since we took it from him." Kagome went on. "In honor if this, we're going to have a dance, here at eight o'clock tomorrow. If you need something to wear, you can call your parents back home and ask them to ship you something. Most of you were required to bring something nice, so I hope you did."

Erk. Cynthia didn't hear that. She had nothing…

"Inuyasha. Please send Cynthia Suhn to Lalaurana's office." A voice crackled from the speaker.

Cynthia didn't need to hear it twice. She reported to the office.

* * *

"HEY! Cynthia!" Lalaurana jumped up from her desk. "I'm sure Inuyasha sent you. I TOTALLY forgot to tell your parents that you needed to bring something nice! Eek, don't hate me!"

Cynthia just looked at Lalaurana. OK. Lalaurana acted so young for her age.

"Sooooo!"

Lalaurana pulled open a closet. In it was every kind of dress imaginable, in every style. "I've taken the liberty of giving you permission to use MY closet!"

But Cynthia wasn't listening.

"OH MY GOD, LOOK AT THESE SHOES!"

"I HAVE GOT TO KEEP THIS!"

"LALAURANA! CAN I USE YOUR JEWELRY TOO?"

"Of course-ourse-ourse!" Lalaurana cheered. "BUT! Don't touch the black dress over there! I'm wearing that!"

"Really?" Cynthia pulled out a gold dress and held it up to herself. "Who are you going with?"

"That military man from Amestris. Roy, I think." Lalaurana swooned. "He is sooooo hot!"

"Eek, I know!" Cynthia smiled.

"Who are you going with?"

"Mm. I dunno. Maybe I'll go alone, or with Ed or something."

"Ed and Envy are going to ask you out."

Cynthia glanced up. "How do you know?"

"Oh, please. Trust me." Lalaurana held up some earrings. "Ed is totally into you, and Envy is CHASING you. It's so obvious its not even funny."

"I know Envy's after me, but Ed? Sure. Hey, how does this look?"

Lalaurana looked at her. "Perfect. Let me do your makeup and you'll look amazing."

* * *

"Hey, Cynth!" Envy was waiting for her outside. It was late, almost eight o'clock. "Lalaurana showed you her closet?"

Cynthia just shot him a cold glare.

"You still hate me from last night, huh."

Cynthia started to walk away. Envy caught up with her. "At least let me walk you back to your room…"

"Whatever."

* * *

While Cynthia was in Lalaurana's office, Envy had told Lust what he was doing, and Lust agreed to do her part.

"Ed?"

Edward was working at his desk. He was doing a report on alchemy, hoping to impress the colonel from Amestris. He looked up, recognizing the voice. "Lust?"

He stood up angrily and pulled open the door.

Lust looked sad. "I forgot the key to my room… I know that Envy gave you a spare key in case he needed you, so could you walk me back?"

Edward glared at her coldly. "Why should I?"

"Because I don't know where Envy and Wrath are…"

"…Oh, fine. But not a word of it to Envy, do you hear?"

"Yes, yes! Thank you."

Edward and Lust maneuvered their ways through the dark hallways until they came to Lust's room. Edward slid in the key card and opened the door. "There. Night."

"Thank you for walking me back." Lust fluttered her eyelashes. "How can I repay you?"

"Repay me?" Edward laughed. "For a stupid thing like…" His eyes widened like saucers.

Lust

Kissed

Him.

* * *

Envy purposely led Cynthia through the halls so they had to pass his dorm room to get to hers. Envy had been babbling the whole way, making Cynthia close to screaming. She glared at her feet, wondering why she had even let this creep walk her back to her room.

_Because he's hot, dammit._

_Oh my God, am I thinking to myself?_

_Yes._

She suddenly saw two pairs of feet. Her eyes slowly lifted, to see

Edward

Kissing

Lust.

She felt a pang in her heart.

Damn her.

Damn Lust.

She opened her mouth to scream, but only a strangled yelp came out. Her breath choked in her throat. She pushed past Edward and ran back to her room to collect her things.

* * *

Riza had just set up a picture of her parents when there was a knock on her door. Probably the colonel, again… She sighed and pulled it open, surprised.

"C… can I stay with you for a while, Miss. Riza?"

* * *

"…And so you like these guys named Envy and Edward, and Envy's roommate is Lust, and Edward was kissing Lust."

"Yes, that's it."

"That's… Terrible." Riza glared in the direction of her colonel's room. "I've had to deal with many situations like this with my colonel."

"Yeah, I can see why."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Hell yeah."

Riza and Cynthia were sitting on Riza's bed, a bowl of random chocolates on the table beside them.

"God… I just can't seem to get over it." Cynthia muttered, grabbing the bowl and popping a chocolate in her mouth. "Never really known a mom. Always grew up with dad and the boys. Mum died early, and Lalaurana is barren and cannot have children. Me, being her closest female relative, was sent here for training to take over the school when Lalaurana is unable to. I have a lot to learn. Lalaurana is almost thirty-five years old, even though she acts like she's fifteen." Cynthia set down the bowl with a grim smile. "I have a lot to learn by attending Lalaurana's school for indiscriminate grappling, and I have to learn it in the five years I shall attend before returning to Tokyo until Lalaurana's death."

"Barren?"

"There was a terrible accident in her early years. She was young, and was learning to harness all of her power. One day she pushed herself too hard." Cynthia closed her eyes. "I don't remember exactly what happened. But I do remember her explaining it to me several days earlier…" She began to recall the memory.

_"Wow, aunt Lalaurana!" Cynthia exclaimed. Her tiny, four-year-old voice was small and squeaky. "You're so sweaty! But your arms are so thick!"_

_Lalaurana pulled herself up once more. She was doing single-handed chin ups on one of the HTH combat hall's bars. She dropped herself and looked at her little cousin, ruffling her hair. "You have to train, Cynthia."_

_"What if you train too hard?" Cynthia asked curiously._

_Lalaurana laughed. "Don't be silly, Cynth! No one has ever trained TOO hard."_

_"Yeah, but what if they do?"_

_"Well…" Lalaurana sat she and Cynthia down in a bench, hanging a towel around her shoulders. Lalaurana's arms began to throb. _Shit, _Lalaurana thought. _That hurt…

_"First, your muscles begin to ache, telling you you've been working them too hard. You'll start to sweat, but much more than I am right now. You'll start getting tired, then you'll probably black out. Sometimes you'll get sick, or something. Who knows? Anything can happen. You could even fall into a coma!"_

_"Wow!" Cynthia shivered. "That's scary. I'll never train too hard!"_

_Lalaurana laughed and smiled. "Cynthia, you won't have to. Just you wait, one day I'll get married and have a brilliant daughter to take over the school."_

"But that didn't happen." Riza concluded.

"You got it." Cynthia reached onto the table for the chocolate.

"Lalaurana sounded serious." Riza pointed out. "What changed her?"

"Lalaurana would be just like she is. But she has to take certain pills to keep her in check. You see, she's barren because she had to have some organs removed. And in the emptiness where they're supposed to be, is a great pain, which can only be suppressed by that pill, that makes her act like a gossipy kid. Back in Tokyo, my dad is looking for another one, a pill that works the same, and DOESN'T make her act weird."

"I see. By the way, who…"

"She's going with Roy."

"I'm assuming ROY asked HER."

"Right."

"So who are you going with?"

"…Envy…"

"You could just go alone, you know."

"What, and be the only loser without a date? I'd look like a freak! And Lalaurana is making me all real pretty for the dance…"

Riza froze. Standard, monotone Riza would have just brushed it off. However…

"One second… I have to go visit Lieutenant Havoc. ON STRICT BUSINESS!"


	7. Chapter 7

**(I do not own Kelly Clarkson's 'Gone' that is used in this chapter.)**

"Lalaurana, are you sure I look good? I feel like I'm under mountains of makeup…"

Lalaurana laughed, putting on some more blush to the apples of Cynthia's cheeks. "You look marvelous!"

"But I'm going to the dance with ENVY for god's sake."

"So? Envy's hot! And your father tells me you have a lovely voice. Why don't you sing karaoke?"

"No way!"

"Are you ready?"

"No! God, be patient!" Cynthia snapped. "Envy is so impatient…"

"Well, that's Envy. Oh, and by the way, he never starts relationships with a single peck on the cheek, if you know what I mean!"

* * *

Envy, Roy and Ed were lounging in the hall. Envy was looking at himself, Roy was quiet and Ed was sitting against a wall with a glass of water.

"I look crappy in a tux." Envy said finally.

"Well, at least I look good." Edward took a sip from his water. "Who you going with? Lust?"

"Cynthia."

Spew.

Edward spit out his water. "WHAT? SINCE WHEN?"

"Since Cynthia had a mental breakdown when she saw you kissing Lust."

Before Edward could reply, Cynthia and Lalaurana came out of the room. "Well? How do I look?" Cynthia asked.

Cynthia had put on a dress that was several shades darker than her hair, and Lalaurana had painted her nails the same color. She had pink blush on her cheeks and black eyeliner, but no eye shadow. Delicate pink lipstick was on her lips, coordinating with a small pink barrette that held back her bangs.

"Ravishing." Edward breathed.

Cynthia ignored him. "Envy?"

"What the freak said." Envy held out an arm. "Shall we?"

"We shall." Cynthia took his arm, and they went off.

"What about me?"

Lalaurana was wearing simple makeup, but a lovely black dress that went to her knees. It was strapless, and made of satin. "Wonderful!" Roy said, taking her to the combat hall. Edward remained in the hall, thinking, _She didn't even look at me.

* * *

_"LET'S DANCE!" Envy cheered, dragging Cynthia onto the floor.

Cynthia laughed. "Impatient, are we?"

"Oh, shut up."

Several graceful spins and dips made Cynthia say, "You're a wonderful dancer, Envy…"

The girls were bored. They were all dressed up, but no one had a date. Mina was scouting the room for single guys. "Eek!" She whined. "Not a single guy among them!"

"Um…" Edward came up behind her. "I'm here…"

"Hey! Wait!" Serena look at him. "Aren't you going with that Cynthia kid?"

"…I don't want to talk about it." He replied.

"DOESN'T MATTER! COME ON!" Mina dragged him onto the floor to start dancing.

Cynthia shot daggers at Edward with his eyes. She looked at Envy with a sweet smile. "Envy, will you excuse me for a moment? I'll be back before you know it, I promise."

Envy nodded, and Cynthia broke from him.

* * *

Edward noticed Cynthia leave Envy and make way towards the stage. She spoke to the band that was playing, and smiled. Cynthia summoned her best Kelly Clarkson voice and began.

"**What you see is not what you get  
With you there's just no measurement  
no way to tell what's real from what isn't there  
Your eyes they sparkled  
That's all changed into lies that dropped like acid rain  
you washed away the best of me  
you don't care."**

Edward felt so… Responsible. But on another note, he was angry, with both himself and Cynthia. How could he fall for such a simple ploy? And how could Cynthia be jealous of it?

"**You know you did it  
I'm gone  
to find someone to live for in this world  
There's no light at the end of the tunnel tonight  
just a bridge that I gotta burn  
You were wrong  
If you think you can walk right through my door  
That is just so  
you coming back when I've finally moved on  
I'm already gone."**

That verse described it perfectly. He had yelled at Lust and Envy, then went back to his room after Cynthia went to Riza's.

"**Sometimes shattered  
never opened  
nothing matters  
when you're broken  
That was me whenever I was with you."**

Edward let go of Mina. "I… I've got to do something." He pushed his way through the crowd towards Cynthia.

"**Always ending, always over  
back and forth, up and down like a roller coaster  
I am breaking that habit today."**

Edward looked at Cynthia. She was really into it, singing with a lovely voice, her eyes closed. He began to hop up onto the stage.

"**You know you did it  
I'm gone  
to find someone to live for in this world  
There's no light at the end of the tunnel tonight  
just a bridge that I gotta burn  
You were wrong…"**

She was cut off. Gentle lips pressed into hers, stopping her in her tracks. Her eyes were wide, staring at Edward's hair and skin. His lips were so familiar… Her eyes flashed.

Long ago.

Amestris.

Alchemy…

Edward…

Full—

The memory was cut off. Cynthia slowly closed her eyes and dropped the microphone.

Envy glared at the stage. This was not supposed to happen!

"That's so cute!" Lita squealed. "Like a romance movie!"

Roy looked at Riza slyly, who was with Jean.

"Sir, don't even think about it."

* * *

"Why did you do that?" Cynthia asked. It was after the dance, and they were both in their room.

Edward looked at her nervously. "I… I knew that song was directed at me. Lust kissed me, and I tried to explain that afterward, but you slammed the Lieutenant's door in my face before I could even say hello."

"I'm sorry." Cynthia apologized. "Hey…" She looked up at him from her bunk. "Did you… Happened to remember anything? When we kissed?"

"…You saw it too? I thought I was alone."

"I guess you weren't." Cynthia's eyes widened. "Those military people… they're from Amestris, right?"

"Right…"

"And where were we in that memory?"

"…AMESTRIS!"

* * *

There was a faint knock on Roy's door. He yawned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. What… One o'clock in the morning? Who could need him this late?

He opened the door.

"Huh?"

"Colonel, sir! Take us back with you to Amestris!"

* * *

"And you say you saw yourselves in Amestris."

"Yes, sir." Cynthia confirmed. "And…"

"And Edward's name began with an F."

"Yes."

Roy looked at Edward. He couldn't possibly be… No. He died years ago. And how could he be here? He was dead. DEAD! And he wasn't coming back… Not that Roy didn't want him to. And he had a metal right arm, this one didn't… His brother was still alive in Amestris… And so was his childhood friend, Winry. But according to these two, Alphonse and Winry existed here, too! Was this an alternate place?

Cynthia saw Roy's confused expression. Suddenly she knew what she had to do to prove their vision.

In one sleek movement, she tore off Edward's right sleeve and popped the casing on his arm.

Sweat dripped down the side of Roy's face. "It's you." He said quietly. "I should have known when you gave me that definition of alchemy. Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist."

Edward's pupils shrank.

_Fullmetal Alchemist._

His mind raced. Envy killed him… And Alphonse revived him with the Philosopher's stone… Edward sacrificed himself to bring Alphonse back as a human….

_Fullmetal Alchemist._

He went beyond the door. He returned to Germany. But… How was he here?

_Fullmetal Alchemist._

_Fullmetal Alchemist._

_Fullmetal Alchemist._

Edward screamed and clamped his hands over his head. So much… To remember.

Izumi, Roy, Mason, Russell, Dad, Barry the Chopper, The Slicer… Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Pride, Wrath, Greed, Sloth…

His eyes snapped open and the memories stopped. Cynthia saw in his eyes a look that was never there. The Edward she knew was kind, and generous. Quiet and smart. But all she saw in his eyes were wild power, anger… And something else.

Deep down.

Pain.

Envy walked by the room. He looked at Edward, glaring. "What's wrong, freak? Finally discovering how weird you are?"

Edward's face turned on him. "You…" His voice dripped anger. "You… BASTARD!" he threw himself on Envy, sitting on his chest holding his collar in his left hand, his right, uncased arm was battering away repeatedly at his cheek. "YOU KILLED ME! DO YOU KNOW WHAT PAIN YOU'VE CAUSED EVERYONE? WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY'RE FEELING RIGHT NOW? THEY DON'T KNOW I'M ALIVE! WINRY, AND ALPHONSE, AND PINAKO! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM YOU SON OF A BITCH? YOU'RE NOT EVEN HUMAN, YOU GOD DAMN HOMUNCULUS! YOU WEREN'T BORN, YOU WERE CREATED! YOU GOD DAMN ARTIFICIAL SON OF A…"

Cynthia caught his fist as he pulled it back for another fist. "Ed. Calm down. Look at yourself. What are you doing? What do you remember?"

_This proves it. _Roy thought. _There's just one more thing, and if I'm right…_

Edward turned his face roughly to Cynthia. "He's a…" He paused. Cynthia's eyes… They were black. Ebony… But he still didn't…

"Who are you?"

The question surprised Cynthia and Envy. Cynthia's eyes began to tear. "You… You don't know me?"

"I can't say I do…"

"…" She let go of his hand. "I'll go pack for our trip to Amestris…"

Cynthia disappeared back down the hall. Edward stood up and looked at Roy.

"It's nice to see you again, Fullmetal."

"Colonel!" He turned. Jean and Riza had come out of their rooms. "Lieutenants Hawkeye and Havoc! Where are we? Who was that girl?"

"I do not remember her from Amestris." Roy said. "I do not remember her family."

"But you do, Roy."

Roy and Edward looked up. Lalaurana was leaning against the wall, a hand firmly clamped over her stomach. Her hair was limp, and her breath was cold and ragged. _She didn't take her medicine, _Riza thought.

"Don't you remember me, Roy?" She laughed. "Maybe I am Lalaurana Suhn, and she may be Cynthia Suhn. But our family line goes way back to Amestris. One of my grandparents was a state alchemist. It's not much information, but it's enough."

Edward heard this. _Cynthia Suhn._ That name rang a bell somewhere. He took off down the hall, until he came to the broken HTH hall, where the remains of Roy's helicopter was. Roy and his companions came up just as he clapped and remade it, Cynthia with them, holding their bags.

Edward regarded them with a grim face. "Take me home."


	8. Chapter 8

(**ZeNfindr: Heh, no, he doesn't. He studies it, but in the school, he's never done a transmutation…**

**kristanite: Um, Crossroads is actually in Tokyo… I don't give a crap if I should use their Japanese names or not. Who cares, as long as you know who they are! Just wanted you to know that. By the way, Cynthia goes with Envy… Remember, Roy is going with Lalaurana, and Riza would have looked stupid… So RIZA asked Havoc. Lol. Story-ness time.**

**WAIT! I really screwed up… Sooooo… Fuhrer Bradley is still Fuhrer, and Roy is still Colonel. Oops. Oh well, I'm not going back to edit now!)

* * *

**Winry sat under a cherry blossom tree, looking at the sky. Today was the day he died, a couple years ago. Edward Elric died today, and everyone in Resembool was mourning him in one way or another. Winry chose to sit under the cheery blossom tree, where they had played so many times as children. Alphonse even came back to Resembool to mourn the day, with Winry. He sat on the other side of the tree, toying with his ponytail. Silent tears dripped from Winry's cheeks, remembering all the times she had spent with Edward Elric, the boy who was like a brother to her, and more.

Suddenly it became windy, and loud. Winry looked up, at the helicopter landing some thirty meters away in a path of open land. She could see the military insignia on the side. Alphonse stood up and looked around, walking to stand next to Winry, putting an arm around her, just in case, in a brotherly way.

Winry saw a small figure get out. It looked around, spotted them, and started walking towards them. Alphonse and Winry back up to the tree, and Alphonse tried to recognize the figure. The sun was in his eyes…

And finally, he could see it.

Edward continued walking, his head held high, and tears streaming from his eyes. He stopped two meters from Winry and Alphonse, staring into their eyes, his long bangs rustled by the breeze.

"Win… Al…"

_Is it a trick?_ Alphonse thought. Only one way to find out.

He clapped and slammed his hands into the ground, making waves of rocks lift towards Edward. Edward clapped himself and stopped the rocks in their tracks with a stone wall. He clapped and the wall receded back into the ground.

Alphonse began to cry. "E… E… BROTHER!" He ran over and threw himself into his brother arms, crying. "You're alive! You're here! BROTHER! EDWARD!"

Edward hugged his brother. "Yeah, Al, I'm back for good. I'm not dying on you again." He looked beyond Alphonse at Winry. She was crying, like everyone else.

"Winry…" Edward smirked. "I see you haven't killed yourself yet."

"You jerk!" She screamed. "I bet you broke your arm really bad!"

Edward pulled up his sleeve. "I think not!"

Winry flounced over and looked at his arm. "Wow, this is great maintenance… Who did it?"

"Who did my maintenance?" Edward asked, looking at Cynthia.

"Um… Somebody?" She replied nervously. She can't tell him there were TWO Winrys…

"Right. And who are you?"

"…" Cynthia looked at her feet.

"I'm…" Winry looked at Edward's face. She fell into a hug. "I'm so glad you're alive!"

Cynthia set down Edward's luggage. "Here's your stuff…" She pulled out her halberd, which actually fit in the helicopter. "And here's mine. But if you don't…"

She noticed him staring at her wide-eyed. "What? Oh, this… If you remembered me you would know that you were a student at Lalaurana's indiscriminate grappling, and that I have inhuman strength."

That jogged his memory somewhat. "Oh, right, right… You're the strong girl. But… Lalaurana's? What's that? And exactly WHO are you?"

Cynthia just glared at him coldly. She didn't want to go to this with Winry there, but she said…

"Edward, dammit, I'm your best friend…" She started to cry. "We shared a dorm room… We went to class together… We… Kissed…"

"…Cynthia?" He furrowed his brow. "RIGHT! I went to Lalaurana's, and there were two…" He looked at Winry. "…never mind. The important thing is I'm back in Amestris and I can get back to my job. Cynthia, stay here, please!"

"I can't. I have to train to become the new master of LSIG." She looked away.

"At least stay for a little bit! Travel with Alphonse and I!"

"I…"

"Join the military."

Cynthia stared at him. "What?"

"Join the military! Get certified as a combat specialist!"

"I don't know if I should, or COULD, for that matter."

"Oh, come on! All you have to do is pass a short test."

"… I'm NOT doing it."

* * *

"I can't believe you made me do this."

Cynthia looked up at the big central HQ building nervously. "I, erm…" She was still in her school karate uniform, and her halberd was still laid across her shoulders. Edward had changed into his Fullmetal Alchemist attire, and Winry had come for the occasion. "I'm nervous."

"Don't worry!" Edward slung an arm around her shoulders. "You'll do FINE! Just carrying your halberd you already qualify! I'll walk you in and introduce you, okay?"

Edward walked into the main office. Cheers greeted him, but as soon as Cynthia followed him inside, the cheers stopped. Cynthia fixed her eyes on the floor, trying to ignore that stares she was getting and the whispers around her. She shifted her halberd uncomfortably and blushed with embarrassment.

"Come on, Cynth!" Edward encouraged with his trademark grin. "What is there to blush about? Hold your halberd high and yell at anyone who looks at you funny!"

"Hah. Very funny…" She looked at him. "So who do I see about entering as a combat specialist?"

"Roy, or the Fuhrer… Let's go see Roy!"

Roy looked up from his desk. "I didn't ask to see you, Full… Cynthia!" His face brightened. "How are you? What are you doing in central city with the Fullmetal Pipsqueak?"

"GAH WHO YOU CALLING PIPSQUEAK?"

"Edward said that until I have to return to Lalaurana's I should become a combat specialist." Cynthia replied, ignoring Edward's angry shouts. "He told me to see either you, or Fuhrer… Um…"

"Bradley, Fuhrer Bradley." Roy corrected. "Of course. But be warned, being yourself, you'll have a much harder test." He shuffled through some papers in his desk drawers that were (amazingly) alphabetized. Hawkeye probably did it for him.

"It seems that experienced trainees have to actually leave the country for something or whatever. But Fuhrer Bradley has been thinking that we should start to train ninjas, and spies and junk. So…" He dropped the papers carelessly on his desk. "I propose you leave Amestris and go to a place called the 'Hidden Leaf village.'"

"Oh, really. So, how do you know about this HIDDEN leaf village?" Edward asked.

"Research. Now, Cynthia, you and the Fullmetal must visit this village and talk to the first ninja you see. He will take you to the local school where you must talk to the head ninja. You will stay there for a month to see how their school works, then report back to us. Once you get back, Cynthia, you'll be a combat specialist."

Cynthia nodded briskly. "Right."

* * *

**(A/N: Naruto ad his friends are 16 in this, but they look pretty much the same, K? K!)

* * *

**Naruto lounged on the wall, looking down at the forest that surrounded the Hidden Leaf Village. Sakura and Sasuke lounged next to him, not because they wanted to, but because Sasuke was interested in the forest around and Sakura was intent on being with Sasuke.

Plip.

Naruto twitched and opened his eyes, staring at the sky. He heard the noise again, this time in succession to one another: Plip plip plip plip plip plip…

"What's that?" He asked, sitting up. "A helicopter?"

* * *

"I'll be back to pick you up in a month." The pilot said, handing out their bags. Cynthia smiled and paid her halberd across her shoulders. "Right. Thank you."

The pilot grunted. _Rude bastard,_ Ed thought.

Cynthia turned. "I can see the village walls. Come on, Ed!"

"Right." He grabbed his backpack and went off after Cynthia.

* * *

Sasuke stood up as Cynthia and Edward emerged from the trees. "Looks like a girl and a boy. Better see what they want." 

He and Sakura went down to open the doors. Naruto stayed on the wall. The people were too far to see clearly, anyway.

Cynthia skipped up to the wall and looked up at Naruto. "Hey! Down here!"

Naruto looked lazily down at her. "Yeah?"

"Are you a ninja?"

He blinked. "Yeah…"

The girl said something to the boy beside her. The boy nodded and clapped his hands.

_Wow, what are you gonna do, little man? _Naruto thought.

Edward placed his hands on the ground and made stairs up to the wall. The girl's shoes tapped on the stone as she jogged up the stairs.

"Yo!" She smiled cheerfully and look down at him. Edward soon followed. Cynthia shifted her halberd on her shoulders. "We're from the Amestris military, K? We have to talk to the head ninja that runs the school."

Naruto stared. Alrighty… The boy is magic, the girl walks around with a halberd, and he must look stupid on the wall. He jumped up and laughed. "Sure, sure. I'm Naruto."

Sasuke and Sakura dashed back up to the wall. "There's no one…" Sakura began. Then her eyes fell on Edward and Cynthia. "Huh?"

"Oh, yeah, these are my friends, Sakura and Sasuke."

"Nice to meet you!" Cynthia smiled. "This is Edward, the Fullmetal…"

Sasuke bent by the stairs Edward had made and ran a hand over the top. "This is choice craftsmanship. How did you make these in such a time?"

"…I was getting to that." Cynthia answered for him. "He's the Fullmetal Alchemist."

"I see. Alchemy." Sasuke stood up and glared Edward in the eye. "The manipulation of natural materials to make someone other than what they are."

Sakura frowned. "Alchemy doesn't seem very nice…"

_Inner Sakura: "That sounds awesome! I want to learn!"_

"You know what, you're probably the hundredth person I've met that hates alchemy." Edward retorted. "Listen, I don't give a crap about why or how it's bad, okay? So just don't get into it, ninja."

In a blink Edward found a knife at his neck. "You underestimate the Hidden Tree village ninjas. I could kill you with a single flick of this knife. So maybe YOU shouldn't get into it."

He was roughly kicked aside. He staggered over, until he tripped over the edge of the wall, catching himself with both hands before he fell. Cynthia's halberd blade slammed down in between Sasuke's hands, nearly chopping off his fingers.

"Listen, buddy, we're not here to make trouble." She said coldly. "We're here on behalf of Fuhrer Bradley from the country of Amestris. Right? And one more thing. If you threaten Edward again, I'll personally break your face." Her expression switched to cheerful. "Now!" She took one of his hands and pulled him up with one hand. "We need to speak with your sensei!"

"Come with me!" Naruto replied, happy to see his rival beaten by a girl. He walked off, Cynthia skipping behind him.

"Eek! Sasuke-kun! Are you okay?" Sakura squealed.

"I'm fine." He replied. He glanced at Ed questioningly.

"She's what you might call 'different.'" He said, his eyes dark. "I'm even stranger than she is. Be careful what you say to her, your words might end up coming from a hole in your neck. Cynthia carries a great burden on her shoulders, now that she has all the pressure of joining the military and becoming the new martial artist to inherit Lalaurana's school of indiscriminate grappling."

"Ninjitsu is stronger than martial arts." Sasuke replied. "She should be careful."

Edward clapped and made a bicycle from the ground. "Whatever, ninja boy. I got to catch up before Cynthia gets out of sight."

As Edward raced away, Sakura thought, _Why doesn't Sasuke ever go after me!

* * *

_Edward looked around the door. _What the…_

"And you put your hands like this and concentrate…"

"Right, right, and to pick up my halberd you have to focus all your strength into your hands and just…" Cynthia picked up her halberd and twirled it expertly. "… pick it up."

"That's harder than it looks."

"You'll get it…" She smiled. "Just find your own weapon and stop using mine."

"Right."

"Hey… I heard ninjas could walk up trees and junk, right? How do you do that?"

"Oh, man, it took me DAYS to master that!" Naruto sat down, sighing. "You have to focus all your Chakra into your feet. Not too much, not too little. You have to have the perfect amount."

Cynthia stared at him blankly as she too sat down. "What's…"

"Sheesh, does martial arts teach ANYTHING? Chakra is…" And so on. Edward smiled and left. Cynthia would have something… And someone… To keep her busy while he went to talk to the head ninja.

* * *

Cynthia put her hands in the traditional ninja position and focused. She felt something tingle from her chest to her feet; that must be Chakra.

She took a running start and ran at a tree… This was…

Thunk.

Hard.

She ran up five feet, marked her place then fell again. "Ow…"

"Heh. I didn't get it on my first try either." Naruto laughed, sitting high up in the tree already. "Sakura did, though. She has really good charka control."

"This will take me days." Cynthia growled. She grabbed her halberd. "Let me show you how martial artists get into trees…" She took a running jumped and used her halberd to catapult herself into the air, where she kicked off another tree and another until she stood on the branch Naruto was on.

Naruto banged his fists on the branch. "No! Getting into the tree is not the object of this. It's being able to walk up things, and Chakra control!"

"Naruto, I'm a martial artist. I don't do ninjitsu. You use jutsu, I use physical fighting."

"Yeah. And that's SO much stronger." He said sarcastically.

There was a sickening CRACK. Naruto looked down to see that tha branch was plummeting to the Earth.

Klonk.

He looked up, rubbing his head. Where the branch had been, there was a single, foot-wide knob. And on that knob stood Cynthia. "If you want to see who's better…" She smirked. "then fight me."


	9. Chapter 9

Cynthia jumped down from the tree and landed lightly on the ground.

_Did I hear that right? _Naruto held his nose and blew until his ears popped. _She wants to fight me?_

Cynthia picked up her halberd and slung it across her shoulders. "No response, eh. I'll just take it that you don't care if jutsu or martial arts are better than one another."

"Of course I do!" He jumped up and pointed at her. "That was lucky! That was lucky! You'd be in pain by now if I knew you were going to break the branch!"

"OK, so, fight me."

"SHADOW CLONE NO JUTSU!"

And in an instant, Cynthia was surrounded by six Naruto clones. Cynthia looked around with a bored look. "Right, can we get this over with?"

"You'll regret it!"

And so it began.

All the clones attacked at once. Cynthia grabbed the leg of one and slammed it into the other, throwing them both against a tree. She ducked and caught a third clone with a hard upward kick to the stomach. The fourth the tripped and stepped on with force. Cynthia would have used her halberd, had there only been one Naruto so she knew who's head she was chopping off.

And fifth and sixth were the easiest. She dodged a punch from one, making him accidentally punch the other, and then kicked them both.

She wiped her forehead, panting. "That was a workout." She muttered. "Wait…" She looked down at the clones. They were beginning to disappear. "One, two… Naruto made six clones. So where is he?"

She backed against a tree and held up her fists, scanning the clearing and the trees above.

She squealed when something tapped her shoulder.

Cynthia turned her head to look over her shoulder. Nothing…

She felt her arms being grabbed. She was pushed farther against the tree. Cynthia turned her head back to glare into the eyes of Naruto.

"Never look elsewhere in battle." He said matter-of-factly.

Then they just stopped to catch their breath. Cynthia's breathing was ragged and tired, but Naruto's was slow and easy. Lots of stamina.

"And thus it is proven," Naruto said finally. "That ninjas are better than martial artists."

"That was lucky!" Cynthia replied. "Martial artists can't use magic junk! Fight me without jutsu!"

"'That was lucky.' That's what I said when you broke the tree branch!" Naruto laughed.

Cynthia looked around. There it was… Her halberd. Not too far away, either. She pushed her toe into the ground and wriggled it under the hilt, smiling innocently at Naruto. "Of course, Naruto! I'm terribly sorry about that. Will you listen for a second? I have something important to say."

Naruto blinked. "What's that?"

"I win."

She flicked the halberd up at an angle so the flat of the blade bashed into the back of Naruto's head, knocking him out. She smirked and laid it across her shoulders, picked up Naruto with her other arm. "Yeah, don't mess with me."

* * *

Erk… Head hurts… Naruto sat up and rubbed the bump tenderly on his head. He was up on the wall, overlooking the forest. Was it a dream? Then he heard the high-pitched shriek:

"You WHAT?"

No, it wasn't a dream.

* * *

Edward braced himself. Cynthia picked it up, then simply dropped her ramen bowl on Edward's head. "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?"

"Calm down, sheesh. You'll only be teaching for the month, and I'll be teaching alchemy lessons to the groups… AND DAMN THIS IS HOT!" He pulled off the bowl and shook his head, getting ramen everywhere.

"TEACHING? I'll be tutoring groups in martial arts? They have their ninja crap! Most of them know martial arts already anyway!"

"Too bad. You don't do it, you don't become a combat specialist!"

"… You suck."

* * *

"So who are we waiting for?" Sakura asked, sighing.

"We were just told to wait here." Naruto replied, sitting in a tree. "I dunno who's coming."

"Obviously, someone we don't know as well as sensei…" Sasuke said.

Cynthia climbed the tree like she did the day before. She sat down silently next to Naruto, who was looking down at Sakura and Sasuke on the ground, and muttered, "Boo."

"GRAGGHH!" Naruto caught himself before he fell. "CYNTHIA!"

Cynthia giggled. "What are you doing? Hanging around?"

"Not funny. We're busy, okay? We're waiting for someone."

"Who's obviously important." Sasuke threw in.

"On the contrary!" Cynthia jumped from the tree and landed gently on the grass. "I'll be teaching you in the art of kung fu, judo, and a manner of other martial arts. Your sensei says that it would be good for you to learn how to fight that just throwing little knives around."

She pointed specifically at Sasuke. "And if you point that stupid knife at me like you did Ed I'll fail you!"

"You can't fail me, I'm already a ninja." He replied, tapping his headband.

"I don't give a crap!" She shouted. "Dammit! Go find a sword. I've hidden two throughout this area of the forest. Whoever gets back last doesn't get lunch!"

Naruto dropped to the ground, and the three shot off in different directions.

"Heh…" Cynthia mumbled, jumping back into the tree. "Should have stayed longer. The forest is riddled with booby traps, I forgot to mention."

* * *

Naruto looked up. A sword was dangling from a branch. "That was too…"

"Easy."

"HEY!"

Sasuke landed, the sword clutched in one hand. "You've got to be faster than that, Naruto!" He laughed dryly and took off. Naruto, face burning, took of after them.

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU, SASUKE!"

Everything was going fine for Sasuke. He could easily outdistance Naruto. But…

_Snap!_

Sasuke cried out in pain and surprise. He fell, looking back to see what happened. A bear trap had snapped shut over his ankle, and the pain was unbearable. It had already started bleeding terribly. One of the trap's teeth had torn into his skin, but most of the others missed his skin altogether. He looked to the side, trying not to look at his own blood. He decided to focus on a deep indent in the ground until…

Naruto came up and picked up the sword. "Yes! Now…" He looked down at Sasuke. "Oh my God. Should I go get Cynthia? Or Sakura? Or…"

"No!" Sasuke hissed. "Just wrap it up, I'll be fine!"

"No, dammit, you won't." Naruto reached over and pulled off Sasuke's head protector, tying it around his leg. "I'll take you back to Cynthia whether you like it or not."

Sasuke sighed. "Whatever…"

* * *

"Good, Sakura!" Cynthia smiled. "Just put it down and wait for Sasuke and Naruto. Lunch is over there, help yourself!"

Sakura smiled. "Thank you, Miss. Suhn."

"I am Cynthia. CYNTHIA!"

"Right!" Sakura shrugged and just went off to practice walking up trees.

Cynthia returned to polishing her halberd. She could see her face in it, but she also saw something else. Once she swept the rag across the blade for a tenth time, her eyes changed. First they were emerald, and then they were scarlet, then black. What was happening?

She head the bushes rustle. Cynthia lifted her eyes in silence.

Naruto stood there, holding Sasuke, who was holding the other sword. Cynthia smiled. "Good work." She said, and then returned to her polishing.

"GOOD WORK?" Naruto set Sasuke down. "I WALK ALL THAT DISTANCE BACK HERE, CARRYING SASUKE, AND ALL I GET IS A GOOD WORK?"

But Cynthia just knelt by Sasuke and untied his headband. "Oh. I didn't know it would go that deep. I'll have Edward fix it." She handed him a leaf. "Chew this up and put it in the wound, it will stop the bleeding. Okay?"

Sasuke nodded.

"HEY! I'M TALKING TO YOU, SUHN!" Naruto raged.

"Shut up." Cynthia said simply.

"WHAT?"

"I told you to shut up. Once Sasuke stops bleeding Edward with fix the skin and it will be like it never happened. You both found the sword at the same time. So you both get lunch. So shut up and go get some food for yourself and Sasuke." Cynthia sat back down on a log and pulled out a mirror, also whipping out a tube of lipstick.

"What are you getting dressed up for?" Sakura asked, nibbling on her lunch.

"Edward and I are going out tonight. He wanted to make it up to me for making me do this."

"Oh, how romantic! Where are you going?" Sakura asked, suddenly interested. _Inner Sakura: NOW I MUST GET SASUKE TO ASK ME OUT!_

"We're going to some fancy restaurant. Alchemists get paid big time by the military. Ed already has enough cash to pay his taxes for the rest of his live, and extra money, even if you cut out food, clothes, and the necessities." She rolled the lipstick onto her lips and smacked them. "It's not cash I'm interested in. Edward's genes are very complex, and very vexing. To have the alchemic talent is not a curse, nor is it a gift. But Ed always looks on the brighter side of things. There was a terrible accident seven years ago that changed the lives of both he and his brother forever. He refuses to speak of it and always changes the subject."

Cynthia smiled at Sakura as she began to apply blush. "If you want a guy to like you, you have to find out more about him, don't just chase him around. Do a little research."

Sakura blushed and looked at Sasuke. _Inner Sakura: OK, listen, how are you so much smarter than me when you're the same age?_

Sasuke looked at Cynthia, then quietly began to push the herbs into the wound from the trap. After a minute of silence he said, "You set up traps, didn't you?"

"You're just now figuring that out."

"I just wanted to make sure." Sasuke's mind flashed back to the indent he focused on. "There was a deep indent near the trap. You dropped your halberd, right? It must have slipped from your hands as you set up the trap."

"Almost. I jammed it into the ground so I didn't have to hold it." Cynthia smiled. "The lesson of this was teamwork and visualization. I knew that one of you would get snared in a trap and the other had to help. Visualization is to examine the scenery around you, or to look around and see where you are, what it looks like, and if there is any possible danger."

Sasuke nodded. "I get it. You planned for all of us to do what we did."

"Actually, you ran off before I could tell you about the traps."

Naruto stared at her with a 'YOU BITCH!' look.

She smiled nervously and waved. "Well, um, I have to go… Do something… That doesn't involve you okay bye!"

She sped off with her halberd, turning a light shade of red. _Those eyes… _She thought. Her mind raced to the memory of Sasuke's eyes. _They're so…dark. Hm…_

She stopped. Like... Hers. In her reflection. She pulled her halberd over her shoulder to glance into it. Yes. The emerald shine was gone, and her eyes were reduced to a flashing jet black. She sat down on a fallen log and ran her fingers through her bangs. She glanced into her halberd once more then set it on the ground. Her date wasn't until later. So Cynthia pulled out a knife and a rag and started polishing.

She smiled. This always got her mind off things and made her concentrate on not cutting off her fingers. But…

She stopped again. What?

Her eyes.

They changed.

First they were blade, in the halberd. Now they were scarlet, then blue, then gold, then a sickly white. She was too much in shock to say anything more then "Eek!"

Her face changed shape. Her chin receded and her nose became long and sharp, her cheeks pulled out with it. Her pupils disappeared and her eyes turned scarlet once more. Her teeth grew into long, ivory fangs.

"Cyyyyynthiaaaa!"

She threw the knife into a tree. The voice was familiar.

"Cynth! Hello! Look UP!"

Cynthia looked up. And there sat Edward, in a tree.

"You look spooked. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Cynthia replied with a snap. "Our date is later. Go get ready."

"What's the rush? We have like, two hours to kill."

"Then go heal Sasuke!" She replied sharply. "He's injured badly in his ankle. I want to be alone right now."

"Whatever." He jumped down and made a bike from the ground. "Later."

Once Edward was gone, Cynthia said, "Sakura?"

"Erk…" Sakura stepped out of the bushes. "Sorry… But what was that all about? You really WERE spooked. You were staring at your knife…"

Cynthia looked like at Sakura. Sakura noticed her eyes were scarlet and her pupils were slits. "Sakura…"

"Yes?"

"Have you even known someone who was cursed at birth?"


	10. Chapter 10

"HI EVERYBODY!" Edward said cheerfully. Sasuke's dull eyes lifted to him. Naruto was asleep in a tree.

"Where's Sakura?"

"She felt bad energy coming from…"

"I know. I can feel it too. Just forget about it." Edward got off his bicycle and knelt by Sasuke. "Which ankle?"

"Left."

Edward clapped and gently tapped Sasuke's leg. The skin sealed over the wound.

"I feel bad chakra coming from Cynthia." Sasuke said before Edward left. Edward turned his head to look at Sasuke.

"You don't say."

"This chakra is stronger than Naruto's when he gets angry and becomes the nine-tailed fox." Sasuke went on. "Has Cynthia been cursed, too?"

Edward was silent, staring at his bicycle.

"Yes. Cynthia has been cursed with the spirit of a dangerous demon called the Lalaurana. Yeah, it sounds like a girl's name, but this demon has been passed down through generations of the Suhn family tree. A Lalaurana is sort of a cross between a cat, a fox and a wolf. Intent on breaking the curse, her father did not name her Lalaurana, but Cynthia. Unlike Naruto, Cynthia's power can return at any time."

"How do you know about Naruto?" Sasuke asked, alarmed.

"Your sensei told me. Cynthia's power has awakened to its fullest."

"Does Cynthia…"

"No. Lalaurana—her aunt—told me before we left to come here. Thought I should know." Edward's eyes looked to Sasuke. He smirked. "Just be careful, y'know? She likes you a lot, you and Naruto. But when she transforms, don't hurt her. You want to try to bring back memories from her human half. That will turn her back."

"I know what you mean." He replied. He rubbed his ankle. It felt like nothing happened. He paused. "He likes me AND Naruto?"

"Yeah, so?"

"…How can she like two people of such different personalities?"

"I dunno. Hey, she likes me, doesn't she?" Edward winked. "You shoulda seen how weird I was before I came back."

Edward jumped on his bicycle. "Well, I got to go. I need to get reservations at some restaurant…"

Sasuke raised a hand in acknowledgement as Edward pedaled away. He finished his lunch and woke Naruto, telling him about his conversation with Edward. About halfway through, they were interrupted by an anguished human cry, that soon deepened into an inhuman growl.

"…Cynthia!"

* * *

Sasuke and Naruto arrived minutes after the shriek was heard. What they saw was anything but their friend.

Sakura lay not too far away. Her face was scored with claw marks and she seemed unconscious. Naruto rushed over immediately and looked at her "Shit…"

Sasuke was still staring at what was now Cynthia.

Her jaws slavered demonically, her tail whipped back and forth. She was huge, and her eyes were a scarlet red and glowing. Her pupils were mere slits. Cynthia looked at Sasuke and roared, her great teeth flashing in the fading sunlight.

Sasuke put his fingers together to form a seal, but Naruto stopped him. "REMEMBER! Ed said not to hurt her!"

Cynthia snapped at Sasuke, but Sasuke jumped back.

"Cynthia!" He burst out. "It's me! Sasuke! And that's Naruto! We're your friends!"

Cynthia batted a massive paw at a tree, knocking it from its roots.

"Cynthia! You're not a Lalaurana! You're human!"

Cynthia snapped her jaws at him again. Her eye twitched, as if she was uncomfortable, but she shook her head and roared.

Sasuke closed his eyes. _Damn… What to do?_ (A/N: I created an "Inner Sasuke"… hah! Inner Sasuke is in BOLD ITALICS) _**Easy! You know what to do. **…Never. **DO IT DAMMIT! **Shut up!_

He gulped. This could mean his life, and he should just let Edward do it… But it would be too late. So…

He leaned over and kissed Cynthia's cat muzzle.

Cynthia froze, and Naruto stared. "Sasuke's got…"

Sasuke shot him a 'shut your face.' look.

_Cynthia!_

It was calling to her. _Cynthia!_

Cynthia growled, but not really. In reality, she was frozen. But in her mind, she was chasing this voice…

_Cynthia! You're not a Lalaurana! You're human!_

Sasuke's voice.

Sasuke felt the massive Lalaurana shiver. It was not long before he felt soft lips on his, and thin arms around him. Cynthia pulled away, shivering. She was human, but her eyes remained a Lalaurana's. She sat on her hind legs and put her arms ahead of her to keep balance. She whined unhappily.

"…So you turned her back into a human…" Naruto blinked. "But she's still a Lalaurana?"

Cynthia itched her ear with her foot.

"I guess so… NARUTO! What are you still doing here? Take Sakura back to the village!"

Edward strolled in. "Hello, all. How's life? …" He blinked and put on a look of mock outrage. "HOLY CRAP!"

Then he burst out laughing.

"WHAT THE HELL'S SO FUNNY?" Naruto screamed. "Sakura is unconscious and Cynthia's a raving cat-fox-wolf-whatever!"

"Yo, I'm called a Lalaurana, THANKS FOR SAYING!" Cynthia said smugly.

"GRAGGH! Cynthia, you're not catty anymore!"

Sakura sat up. "You totally fell for it." She wiped off her cuts with the back of her hand, laughing. "I can't believe you. You are so stupid! This is ketchup mixed with pine sap!"

Sasuke was just red, staring at Cynthia angrily.

"I didn't know you'd go so far, Sasuke!" Cynthia giggled.

"But… It was real… And… You were…"

"Yes, it was real. But just because I'm a freaky demon doesn't mean I don't have control over my mind!" Her face became grim. "However, all that Edward told you is true. My powers have returned, and I don't know when I will have to use them. Me being a demon was no joke." She looked at herself. She was barely dressed; there was a single Lalaurana skin wrapped around her, like any time she would turn into the murderous demon. "NEITHER IS ME BEING LIKE NAKED ED WHERE ARE MY CLOTHES?"

"By the river." Ed laughed. "I left them in the tree so no one could take them."

"Thanks, Ed." She laughed. "Me and Ed and Sakura got you GOOD! You were SO worried!" She blinked. "Sakura, can you take me to the river?"

"Sure." Sakura jumped up and walked off with Cynthia. Before they disappeared, Cynthia looked over her shoulder. "And Sasuke?" She winked. "You're a good kisser."

* * *

"Yo, Sakura?" Cynthia began. She came out of the brush, typing the black belt around her waist as she did so.

"Yeah?" Sakura looked up from the water she was toying with.

"Are you sure you're okay with me kissing Sasuke?"

Sakura stopped. "W-what makes you think I would care?"

"I see how you act around him, you try to be the strong, sexy chick. Listen." She bent down to Sakura's ear. "Just stop trying. Sasuke's pretty into you, and pushing it won't help."

"Right." Sakura nodded.

"But there is one thing we agree on."

"And what's that?"

"Sasuke's damn hot."

"You got that right."

* * *

_Meanwhile, back with Edward, Sasuke and Naruto…

* * *

_

Sasuke glared at Edward, "That was very bastardly of you…"

"Well, you know what I say. If they can fall for it, do it." Edward replied, still laughing. "Well, um, I never say that, but you get it. HAH!"

"THAT WAS NOT A GOOD PRANK!" Naruto complained. "You had us SO WORRIED IT WASN'T FUNNY! But of course I wasn't as worried as Sasuke, me being… Me!"

Sasuke was silent.

_**That felt GREAT! **It did not… **Stop lying, dammit. You like her more than I do. **But you're me. **I'm the ALTERNATE you. You just don't let me out sometimes. In fact, you've never even let me out ONCE in public!** Shut up! I'm busy. I've got to find a way to get out of this training… **And leaf Cynthia? Come on. You need this training anyway. **So? I can learn it at any martial arts school. **Really. **Yeah, really. **Yo. Outer Sasuke, you might want to look behind you. **_Sasuke turned around. _What?_

"SASUKE!"

Cynthia popped from the shadows. "What's up?"

Sasuke glared at her. "Leave me alone."

"What? Are you embarrassed?"

"Shut up."

"You are!"

"Cynthia, be quiet!"

"Why I…" She froze. Her eyes darted around, but her body was still. _It can't be. _She thought. _Not here. NOT HERE! How can she be here? I can sense her strength…_ Cold sweat dripped down the side of her face.

"Cynthia? What's wrong?"

"…" Cynthia's eyes looked at Edward. Edward was alarmed to find them dark and bloodshot. "…She's here…"

"CYNTHIA!"

Cynthia darted behind Sasuke. "DON'T HURT ME!"

The bushed parted fiercely and a female head popped through, followed by a tall, slender body. Her face was screwed up in infinite anger. "Cynthia Suhn! You little bitch!"

The woman's face was pretty, but her personality was stern and fierce. Her black hair fell in a messy braid down her back, some of it hanging in unruly locks around her face. She wore a simple black-and-red striped t-shirt and jeans ripped at the knee, giving her a ratty look. There was white medical tape wound around her wrists then up around her palms. Her dark eyes were pierced with ferocity. A chain hung around her neck, but the charm fell into her shirt.

"Eek!" Cynthia cowered behind Sasuke. "Mihoshi Sensei! I…"

"Didn't stop to think!" Mihoshi interrupted. "Cynthia Lalaurana Suhn! You are in SO much trouble!"

"Sensei?" Naruto muttered. "I thought she went to that school…"

"Apparently this was her sensei before she went to the school…" Edward replied quietly.

"I could feel your energy from Tokyo! And once I got to Lalaurana's? I had to follow you BACK to Amestris and THEN to this god damn place! How could you release your power like that? I TOLD you NEVER to use it UNTIL you master it!"

"I'm sorry, Mihoshi Sensei!" Cynthia squealed. "It was a prank!"

"THEN IT WASN'T A HARMLESS ONE!" Mihoshi shouted in a shrill voice. "Your demon? YOUR INNER DEMON? Your inner demon is NOT yours to toy with! How could you use your demonic energy for a PRANK? You're even more foolish than you were before she left for Lalaurana's!"

"I'm sorry, Mihoshi Sensei!" Cynthia hid her face behind Sasuke. "I thought…"

"YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD CONTROL IT?" Mihoshi continued in the same shrill voice. "Your could have KILLED these people! Lalauranas are dangerous creatures! Lalauranas are second in danger ONLY to the nine-tailed fox that was sealed away sixteen years ago!"

Naruto froze and listened. His face grew more and more sad as Mihoshi went on.

"That nine-tailed fox had to be SEALED AWAY which made it undefeatable! Lalauranas are this kind of creature. Lalauranas and the nine-tailed fox are close relatives. They are both capable of destroying COUNTRIES! They are unmerciful, they are evil, and most of all… THEY ARE JUST PLAIN EVIL!"

Naruto's blood began to boil, and his eyes became slits. It was one of those times when he was so angry he could just…

Kill someone.

Naruto threw himself at Mihoshi, tearing with his hands and biting with his teeth. His chakra was so strong it was visible.

"Mihoshi Sensei!" Cynthia cried in alarm.

Mihoshi laughed and skipped to the side. Naruto hit a tree. "This is the power of the nine-tailed fox?"

Sasuke shifted his weight on one foot. "You knew?"

"'Course I knew, dimwit."

"Don't call Sasuke-kun a dimwit!" Sakura complained.

Naruto growled demonically. Mihoshi just smirked. "Fox, my dear little fox." She jumped back, crossing her arms behind her back. "I could defeat you like this. You need to learn to control yourself when you're anger shows, like my idiot student."

Cynthia looked at the ground. Once she learned how to control her inner demon, she would become something in Mihoshi's eyes. That's the way it had always been.

Naruto lashed out with his fist, but Mihoshi caught it. She deftly twisted it violently to the side. Naruto gave an awkward yelp with pain.

Mihoshi laughed. "Little Naruto. You are weak, like Cynthia. Much like Cynthia, even weaker!"

She cocked her head towards Sasuke. "And your little Sharigan friend probably already guessed. I'm a ninja too, from this very village."

"What?" Sasuke's eyes widened. _How did she know? _"Why don't you have a head protector then?"

With a single hand, Mihoshi pulled the charm from her shirt. It was the same symbol as the Hidden Leaf Village.

"I prefer to go feminine."


	11. Chapter 11

"So you're a ninja from the Hidden Leaf village." Sasuke said. "But why do you wear it as a necklace? A simple charm?"

"You're foolish, Sasuke." Mihoshi laughed. Still holding Naruto's fist, she lifted him off the ground and slammed him against the tree, still holding him. So… She was swinging a living mace. She let go, and Naruto flew into a tree. "I am a master of martial arts, and many different kinds of jutsu. I have trained with the best of the best of the best. But I've not come to fight, I've come for my student."

"Naruto!" Cynthia ran over to him and lifted his head. "Naruto? Oh, damn! Sensei, you knocked him out cold!"

"Leave the boy, Cynthia. We're going back to Tokyo."

"No! I have work to do! I want to get the job as a Combat Specialist with the Amestris military…"

Mihoshi shot her eyes to Cynthia. Those cold, angry, burning eyes bore holes through her.

"You are afraid, Cynthia. You are confused, and afraid. You feel small and inferior to the people around you."

"I do not! I'm easily stronger than…"

"That's what you keep telling yourself, don't you see?" Mihoshi demanded. "You cannot choose what you want to do. You do not know whether to leave this place and come with me or stay. You do not know whether to stay with the Amestris military or go back for training at Lalaurana's. You do not know whether to love Edward, Envy, Sasuke or Naruto."

"OH MY GOD YOU LIKE ENVY?"

"Shut up!"

Cynthia started to cry. Her tears dripped down her cheeks and onto Naruto. "You don't TRAIN me! You just insult me! I don't even know why you are still my Sensei. I refuse to be taught by you ANYMORE!"

"Tough words, little Cynthia. But remember, you need me. I am the only person besides Lalaurana herself who knows how to control an inner demon. And Lalaurana is hundreds of miles away." Mihoshi smirked. "Now, come. We have to get a plane to Tokyo."

She was very surprised when Cynthia's powerful fist slammed into her jaw. "GO TO HELL, YOU UGLY BITCH!"

Mihoshi flew against the tree and slumped at the base. She jumped up, just as Cynthia came at her again.

"THIS IS FOR TAKING ME FROM MY FAMILY!"

"AND THIS IS FOR ALL THOSE LONG NIGHTS OF TRAINING!"

"AND THIS IS FOR HURTING NARUTO!"

"AND THIS IS FOR **BEING BORN**!"

"AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET UP AGAIN, SAVE ME THE TROUBLE AND GO KILL YOURSELF!"

Mihoshi rubbed her cheek. She sat up, and felt a shadow fall over her. She looked up in fear at the boulder the Cynthia had hefted up, and the wild look in her student's eye.

"Yo. Cynth."

Cynthia felt a hand tug at her shirt. She looked down at Naruto, who had woken up and crawled over. He smiled cockily. "Live and let live, y'know?"

Cynthia smiled. But Mihoshi got up at tapped Cynthia's shoulder. Cynthia turned to look at Mihoshi. Mihoshi looked at the boulder. Cynthia looked at the boulder. Mihoshi pushed a spot on the boulder. The boulder dropped into hundreds of smaller rocks.

"I forgot. Stupid breaking point…"

"One more thing."

"What?"

Mihoshi pressed a point on Cynthia's neck. Cynthia immediately blacked out, falling to the side. Mihoshi wiped away blood from her lip. "Don't mess with the best."

There was a clap from the side, and Mihoshi was encased in a box of solid rock.

"Yeah," Edward said. "But it's fun."

"THAT WAS LIKE TOTALLY AMAZING!" Naruto exclaimed. He was unable to sit up, but hey, he was conscious, right? "Is that how you made those stairs?"

"Um, yeah, it's alchemy, I already explained that." Edward shot Sasuke a warning glare. But Sasuke wasn't there. Where…

Mihoshi simply broke the walls with her fist.

Mihoshi bent down to pick up Cynthia. "I'll be taking my student and leaving, alright?"

_Thump._

Mihoshi twitched. A rock bounced off her head.

"You're not going anywhere with Cynthia." Sasuke threw another rock into the air and caught it deftly. "She doesn't want to be taught by you anymore, so you are no longer her Sensei."

"STOP ACTING COOL!" Naruto screamed at him.

"I don't go by what SHE wants." Mihoshi shot back nastily. "I go by what her FATHER wants. And right now, her father wants her trained."

"The legal age of an adult in this country is sixteen, and that's how old Cynthia is."

"It is?" Naruto asked. Edward shot him a glare.

"I don't care what the legal age is." Mihoshi snapped. "She still cannot control her demonic powers!"

"Then she can go to Lalaurana."

She glared at them, and then looked down at Cynthia. "I'll be back for you, dammit." She hissed.

Mihoshi formed a seal with her fingers, and then disappeared like smoke.

Edward ran over and picked up Cynthia. "Come on, come on… Yo, Naruto, can Cynthia stay at your place? I can probably grab my own apartment somewhere."

Naruto stood up and rubbed the bloody bump on the back of his head. "Sure, sure. I think my couch pulls out into a bed, I dunno."

"Hey, how strong are you right now?"

"Hm, I dunno…"

"Great!" Edward dumped Cynthia into his arms. "You carry her. With all that muscle, she's WAY too heavy."

* * *

Cynthia's scarlet eyes fluttered open. "Wha?"

She sat up. Sakura and Naruto took her back to Naruto's house, and Sakura discovered than when Mihoshi made her pass out she fell on this spiky rock, so Sakura made Naruto wait outside while she bandaged it. Medical tape was wrapped all the way around her torso up to her underarms, so there was really no need to wear a shirt.

Looking around, she rubbed her head and called, "Hello?"

"Mm." Naruto grunted. He was eating a bowl of instant ramen at the table. "Morning."

"Morning? What time is it? How long was I out?"

"Just long enough to sleep through the night. Sakura says that your injury isn't TOO bad. You fell on a rock."

"Oh. Wears Sasuke? And Edward? And Mihoshi?"

"Dunno, Edward got an apartment, and dunno. In that order."

"Right." She looked around and her eyes widened in panic. "WHERE'S MY HALBERD?"

"Next to the door. Relax! Everything's been taken care of…"

"Hey! Naruto!"

"Come in…"

It was Kakashi. He strolled in and looked at him. "What are you doing? Training's started. Remember, in the mornings, you train with me. You train in the evenings with that Lalaurana chick…"

"Ahem."

"She likes to be called Cynthia, Kakashi Sensei. Lalaurana in her middle name, and she rather doesn't like it."

Kakashi blinked his visible eye. It scanned Cynthia, from her angered face, to her bandaged torso, then along her arms.

"This is her? Really. Looks weak."

"Naruto. Get my halberd, if you will."

"Yes, Cynthia Sensei!"

Naruto skipped over and used all his strength to drag the enormous thing to Cynthia. "Here it is… Yo, can you make it smaller, by any chance?"

"No."

"Right."

Cynthia picked up the halberd. "Calling me weak is a mistake. Maybe I don't look it, buddy, but I can lob off your head in seconds…" The halberd fell from her hands as she clutched her stomach. "Ouch…"

"Yeah, why do you think we bandaged it?" Naruto looked at Kakashi. "Kakashi Sensei, I'm sorry, but I have to stay to watch Cynthia. We all wanted Sakura to do it BUT NOOOOO, she wants to be with SASUKE!"

"I understand. Completely." Kakashi looked Cynthia up and down again. He shot Naruto a "Don't do anything stupid" glance. "Well, later." He turned to love, but paused. "Oh! Yeah! There's a ninja tournament tomorrow. I was wondering if you would join with Sasuke and Sakura?"

"Sure!"

"But find two more people, you need teams of five. Okay?"

"Right."

Kakashi left. Once the door was closed, Cynthia threw herself on Naruto and pinned him. "NARUTO! You HAVE to let me join that tournament with you!"

"You can't, Cynth, you're injured. Not badly, I know, but you can't heal in just two days. I'll bring Edward, hm, and maybe someone else, like Rock Lee. I dunno. Okay? No!"

"Oh, please. I'm a Lalaurana. I can heal just as fast as some nine-tailed fox!" She scowled. "And besides, I won't let you up until you let me fight!"

"There's more to me than being short and demonic!" Naruto hissed. "I could get you off any time."

"With your arms pinned, you can't make a seal, can you?"

There was a knock at the door. However, Cynthia and Naruto were too busy yelling at each other to hear. Rock Lee pushed open the door. "Hey, Naruto! I was…" He blinked. "Is this some kind of sex thing?"

Cynthia and Naruto looked at Lee.

"GAH!" Cynthia stumbled back. "HELL NO!" She pointed at Naruto accusingly. "He won't let me fight!"

"Well, by the blood staining the tape on your chest, you're in no condition to."

"Eek! Cynthia, dammit! You reopened it!"

"_I_ did? It's your fault! You're not letting me fight!"

"You think I'll let a MARTIAL ARTIST fight in a NINJA tournament anyway?"

Cynthia darted over and picked up her halberd. "I'M GONNA FREAKING KILL YOU!"

Naruto didn't flinch. It was obvious.

The halberd was halfway to Naruto's head when Cynthia paused. She dropped the big sword and fell to her knees, crossing her arms across her stomach. "Oww…"

"Martial arts? You mean, like taijutsu?" Lee asked.

Cynthia started at him blankly. "Taijutsu? What's that?"

"It's like martial arts for ninjas."

"Thickbrows is really good at it." Naruto commented.

"I don't give a crap, OK? I want to fight in this tournament!"

"Listen, Cynthia, can I trust you to NOT do anything stupid while I'm training?" Naruto demanded.

"No."

"Then Lee, stay with her."

"What?"

"Come on. You want to. And I have to go tell Sasuke and Sakura, if Kakashi didn't already."

Lee sighed. "Fine. I'll stay…"

Naruto closed the door behind him. Cynthia reached down and tied on her shirt over the medical tape. "Come on, thickbrows."

"We can't go anywhere."

"I'm going TRAINING, dammit!"

"But…"

"Shut up and point me to the nearest training hall."

"No."

"ARRGH!" She swung her fist at him without thinking. Being cooped up in a small house made her very angry.

Lee caught it and twisted it. "Calm down, Cynthia! If you get too mad your wounds will reopen… Again. It's just a tournament, it's nothing special. I don't think Gaara is even joining."

Cynthia winced, but asked, "Gaara?"

And this made Lee explain Gaara to Cynthia.

"…So Gaara uses sand to fight his battles." She sniffed. "I could take him."

"Yeah. Sure. I lost to him in the Chuunin exam."

"Ah." Cynthia pondered this. How could she fight in this tournament? Hm…

"Because of the nine-tailed fox demon inside him, does Naruto heal very fast?"

"Yes."

Cynthia smirked. Luckily… She skipped into the bathroom and came out, dropping the medical tape in the trashcan. "All healed."

"What was all that roaring I heard?"

"…Don't ask, okay? I'm fighting in that tournament whether Naruto likes it or not!"


	12. Chapter 12

Naruto arrived in the forest. Kakashi Sensei, Sasuke and Sakura looked over. "Hey, Naruto. I just finished telling your teammates about the tournament, and they're up for it. But we need two more people."

"I could fight!"

Kakashi looked over. Edward was sitting in a tree, looking down at them. "I'm not all just temper-and-alchemy. I can use martial arts, just… Y'know, not as good at Cynthia."

"Who…"

"His name's Edward." Sasuke said, summoning his chakra and walking up the tree. He sat next to Edward. "He's a self-loving alchemy freak from Amestris."

Edward fumed and clapped.

Heh.

He tapped Sasuke's head protector and turned it into a miniature toaster. "Take that back and maybe I'll fix it."

"Man you're short." Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. "Weird, really."

Edward clapped, fuming again. "I've always wondered what I could transmute a HUMAN into! Maybe a pig, or a jackass! All I'd have to do is rearrange some of your internal organs…"

"Ohh, touchy about being short, are we?"

"Yeah, you could say that about Ed."

Edward glared down. "CYNTHIA!"

"Relax, Ed." Cynthia laughed and blew hair from her face. "Turning into the fearsome Lalaurana has its advantages! I can heal just as fast as you, and falling on some spiny rock isn't gonna become a huge injury. Now." Cynthia pulled her halberd from a bush. "We're going to fight in this tournament, and ain't NO ONE gonna stop me." She pointed her halberd at Naruto. "And when I say it, I mean no one. Now Ed, fix Sasuke's head protector, and let's go find where this thing is."

* * *

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

It was the next morning, and Cynthia's team was baffled. The tournament was JUST LIKE the Chuunin exam.

"Once again. We have to make our way through the forest and find the tower."

"BUT!" Kakashi held up a finger to make a point. "This is a different area. This is training area 26, called 'Hades woods.'"

"I'm not even going to ask." Edward sighed. "So, we have to find some tower, huh? Seems simple enough."

"No." Kakashi's bored eye fell on Edward. "This is much more dangerous than Death Forest. There are more creatures, and fewer teams. Killing is allowed. And Gaara is entering with four other people, not his usual group."

"Oh, Hell." Naruto sighed. "Alright, plan: Avoid all conflict…"

"Wow. Great plan." Sakura muttered. She looked around at all the other teams.

Only six teams?

"There are only six teams competing?" She asked.

"Apparently." Sasuke replied. "Come on, let's get to the gate. Let's go, Kakashi Sensei."

"Well, um…" Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. "I'm the host of this tournament. So that means I start it… Meet you there!"

He ran off.

"That was…" Edward shrugged. "Weird."

* * *

"Welcome to my tournament." Kakashi began slowly. He counted. "Thirty people? I was hoping for a bigger turnout. Oh well. This is simple, just like the Chuunin exam. Except you present yourselves to your opponents. Oh, right, killing is allowed. Death overall is allowed. Naruto team, please come to the front and present yourselves and your weapons."

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura presented themselves, but it was not so easy for Edward and Cynthia. Cynthia did fine, but Edward was a little timid.

"Um, well, yeah. I'm Edward. I'll freaking break the face of ANYONE who calls me short, INCLUDING Kakashi…" Here he glared at the Sensei. "And I don't live here. Just here for the month. I don't have any weapons, really. And I have no skill with ninjitsu or whatever at all. But if you want to fight you'll be surprised. Cynth?"

"Yeah, yeah…" She muttered. "Ed, I forgot my halberd…" She winked. "Could you make one for me?"

"Sure." He caught her idea. If they didn't think he was strong, this would prove it. He clapped and made one from the ground. It looked and weighed exactly the same as her original halberd.

"Thank you." She pulled it up and hefted it onto her shoulder. "The name's Cynthia Lalaurana Suhn. Skills? Eh. I'm a martial artist, Ed is too, but he just forgot. My weapon of choice is…"

Here Edward began to think. What exactly did Cynthia know about her halberd?

"An eighteenth century steel blade halberd, weighs 2,582 pounds and will hurt a Hell of a lot if I bash you with it."

"Don't you think you're overdoing it?" Edward whispered, nudging her.

"Shut up."

"Right."

"I'm the only heir to Lalaurana's school for indiscriminate grappling, and I've been training hard to meet Lalaurana's standards." She scanned the crowd, wondering if she should say anything more. Her eyes fell on Gaara. Her eyes switched from mild to hard, giving him a 'You mess with fire, you might get burned.' Glare. Gaara remained emotionless, but his eyes returned the glare.

"Training does not mean anything unless you can use it." He said simply. The words reached Cynthia like wildfire.

Her eyes flared and her halberd shifted. "Really. I guess you've had a lot of experience."

"With many victims just like you."

"AARGH LET ME AT HIM!"

Edward grabbed one arm and Naruto grabbed the other. Cynthia grappled with them to get at Gaara, her halberd digging into the ground to help her pull.

"Feisty girls like you are usually the first to go." Gaara commented. "You are far too strong, and you do not know how to harness it. Therefore, I consider you weak."

"If you say that ONE MORE TIME I'll cut off your hands and put them on your feet!"

"Number one!" Edward grunted. "I'M the only person who can possibly do that. Number two, do you want to get thrown out of the tournament? He's not worth it. He's scum. The scum from the very hell we know. Just like…" He had to say it… "Just like that THING me and my brother created when we tried to bring back our mother. He was a mistake, just like that. God shouldn't have made him."

"Ooh, religious, are we?" Cynthia hissed.

Edward laughed. What he said surprised everyone. "I don't believe in improvable concepts like God. I have met what you might call 'God.' He stole something very dear to me. And yet, I still don't believe in him."

"Ed…" Kakashi began, but Ed went on.

"Now you listen here, weirdo!" Edward said savagely, pointing an accusing finger at Gaara. "I have met God. Maybe I didn't save myself, but I sure as Hell resurrected my brother from the grave. And if that doesn't count for something then it damn well should! And I don't hide behind a wall of sand like you, I actually fight. It may be impressive, but not at all brave or courageous and all that jazz." He looked at Cynthia. "If you want someone to admire you for who you are, then actually get out there, fight and get God damn hurt!"

"EDWARD FREAKING ELRIC!" Kakashi shouted. "WILL YOU SHUT UP NOW?"

"No! I won't shut up! I…" Edward clapped…

Cynthia lifted her knee and slammed it into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. "Come on, Edo." She slung him over one shoulder. "Even I'm not that aggressive. If you blow him up now, it's considered murder. If you blow him up in there…" Cynthia glared. "It's considered 'friendly competition.'"

"Or 'friendly murder.'" Gaara put in. Teasing people was so fun.

Cynthia's pupils turned to slits.

"NONONONONONO!" Naruto hugged her legs. "DON'TDOIT DON'TDOIT DON'TDOIT!"

"Erk…" Cynthia tried to kick him off but her held on.

"DON'T DO IT IT'S BAD!"

"So? It can't be worse than any of your 'forbidden jutsu' junk, and you people still use it."

"…Nuh uh!"

"Ugh, fine, fine…" Cynthia and her team left the front. "Will you let go of my leg now?"

"…Yeah sure."

"Gaara?" Kakashi called.

Gaara and his team went to the front. Gaara had nothing to say, everyone knew him. But…

Edward opened his eyes and stood up. Cynthia had laid him down when they got back to their spot. He gasped. "Oh, HELL!"

Cynthia pointed an accusing finger at Gaara's team. "I LEFT YOU TOO BACK AT LALAURANA'S!"

"Oh, please." Lust chuckled. "We've never met. Surely you must be insane."

"If I met a pretty girl like you I would remember." Envy replied.

"Whee!" Wrath jumped up and down. "WHAT FUN! We're going to be in a tournament!"

Greed looked at him. "Lust, can you shut him up? His annoying shrieks are getting on my nerves."

"I do, however, know the Fullmetal boy." Envy said suddenly. "Always butting in on people's business, with his annoying metal—"

"SHUT UP!" Edward screamed. "It's none of your business!"

"You know him?" Cynthia asked. "Envy, and Lust, and Wrath, and… That guy?"

"Um, hello, my name is Greed…" Greed muttered.

"Know them?" Edward muttered. "…" He glared at Kakashi. "…Hey… Do you have to be human to compete in this tournament?"

"Um, I guess so…"

"Well, Lust and her cronies are homunculi. They were created with alchemy. The tattoo on Lust's chest enables her to make her nails grow to an infinite length. Envy can turn into whatever he pleases. Greed can turn into a shell of infinite defense. Wrath can take something and actually add it to his body…"

"Homunculi… You mean, artificially created humans?" Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. "I guess… They qualify!"

"WHAT!"

* * *

"Your Sensei sucks."

Cynthia mumbled the words, but Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura heard it clearly. They had already sent the teams into the forest.

Edward agreed silently. "Letting homunculi compete…"

"Homunculi have unfair powers."

"And we don't know any of them."

"Don't they use alchemy to use these powers?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah, so?"

"You use alchemy. So that means your power is unfair too."

"… Shut up!"

* * *

Gaara and the homunculi took a whole different gate. All the teams took different gates. Gaara turned to look at Lust as they walked. "How do you know him?"

"Whoever do you mean?"

"Edward. The short one."

"Oh, we go way back." Lust chuckled. "As he said, we are homunculi, and therefore unable to die until our power source is gone. But we want to be human. So we went to look for something called the Philosopher's Stone, a stone of immense alchemic power. But in the end, the Fullmetal boy's brother got it, and used it to resurrect him. But once the Fullmetal boy came back to life, he used his own power to bring back his brother, ejecting him all the way from out time period into another. And it seems he has returned, to seek another way to fix himself."

"You call him Fullmetal. Why?"

"Of course, Gaara!" Envy laughed. "He is the Fullmetal Alchemist, a dog of the Amestris military. His right arm and left leg are made of automail, a kind of metal robotic limb."

"I see." Gaara looked at the sky, as if seeking people to kill in the clouds. "What about the girl? The aggressive one?"

"I don't know her. But she seems to know us."

"Yeah, everyone but ME." Greed grumbled. "What, am I not GOOD ENOUGH to know?"

"I know her."

Gaara twitched and turned to look in the woods behind him.

It was Envy.

"She knows me, anyway. I don't know about that freak over there."

"Hey, I am not a freak." The real Envy said, hurt. "If anyone's a freak, it's you, for using my appearance!"

"ENVY ENVY ENVY! DID YOU FIND THEM YET? I WANT TO MEET ME!"

Wrath popped out from behind Envy. He pointed at his original self. "Is that me? Where's Cynthia? ENVY! You said we would find her! NO FAIR!"

"Yeah, yeah, I lied. Now go play with yourself while the big kids talk."

Wrath looked at his original self. "Hi! I'm Wrath!"

"So am I!"

"Let's go play!"

"Yay!"

Wrath and Wrath ran off. Envy glared at Envy, and Envy glared back.

"Who are you?" The original Envy asked. "And who do you look A LOT like me?"

"Why, I'm Envy." He replied. "Well, from a different reality. This is Lust, and that's Wrath."

"AM I NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO HAVE A DOUBLE?" Greed screamed.

"Shut up, your double is back home, Greed." The second Envy scowled.

"Good."

"So why are you here?" Gaara asked.

"I know how to capture the Cynthia girl and kill the Fullmetal boy." The second Envy's face became dark and smug. "And I know how much you want that, Envy."

His shirt was suddenly pinned to a tree by a very oversized kunai.

"ENVY! LUST! WRATH! Get back to school NOW!"


	13. Chapter 13

"Cynthia, what are you doing?"

"All this running and walking and junk is making me sweat." Cynthia tied back her hair with a pink headband. "My hair is getting in the way…"

"It doesn't look good like that." Naruto said.

And that was his mistake.

* * *

"EEK!" Envy pulled out the kunai and looked at it. The insignia said it all. He slowly looked up. "Oh… God…"

Lalaurana glared down at him from a tree. She was breathed heavily, as if she had just got there… And she did. Her fiery hair fell down her back messily, and there was medical tape around her chest, like Cynthia's the morning before. She held her red karate jacket over her shoulder, her eyes blazing even stronger than Cynthia's.

"Envy! Do you know how long I've been tracking you?"

"I'm sorry, Lalaurana Sensei!"

"Lust! Get Wrath. We're going back to the island. Tell your creepy friends to go away!" She winced slightly.

"Yes, Lalaurana Sensei…" Lust muttered. "Lalaurana Sensei? Did you take your medicine?"

"What's it to you, dammit? Get Wrath! Don't make me say it again!"

She glared down at Gaara and their homunculi. "What are you all gawking at? Get moving or else!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, 'Lalaurana Sensei!'" The original Envy replied angrily.

"Don't get sarcastic with me, dammit!" She screamed. She jumped down from the tree and grabbed her student Envy by the collar. "God damn you, Envy! We're hundreds of miles away from the island, and now we have to go all the way back! How did you get here, anyway?"

"We followed Cynthia…"

"And WE followed you!"

"We? Lalaurana Sensei, who else is with you?"

"We are."

Inuyasha walked from the forest. "I had to get all the way here with Kagome and Sango on my back!"

"EEK!" Envy looked around. "Sango Sensei is back from vacation? WHEREWHEREWHERE?"

"YOU ARE SO GIRLY!" Lalaurana shouted at him.

"Calm down, La." Sango chuckled. She hefted her boomerang onto her shoulder. "We found him, didn't we? Now we just have to get him home."

"It's harder than that!" Lalaurana replied. "Envy will do anything to get what he wants, I should know. He's been blackmailing Edward for years!"

Envy shuddered. "When did you find out?"

"A long time age, but I kept getting loony on my medicine that I forgot to punish you!"

"Come on, we're just getting held up." Gaara said to his homunculi. "Lust, please go get OUR Wrath. I want to win this, no matter how stupid it is."

"Yes, Gaara. Wrath!" Lust called.

Two heads poked from the underbrush. "Yes?" They said simultaneously.

"OUR Wrath, come on. It's time to go."

"But Lust…"

"Come!"

"Yes, Lust…"

Gaara began to walk on the path again. The homunculi snickered at their doubles and followed. Their doubles were mere shadows of themselves, relying on a Sensei…

"YOU THINK I'M DONE WITH YOU GUYS EITHER?" Lalaurana shouted at them.

"WE'RE not your students, THEY are." Envy replied. "We don't have to listen to you."

"Just tell me where the Hell Edward is!"

"Edward, Edward, Edward…" Envy turned into Edward. "You like him WAY too much. COME ON, he's your STUDENT!"

_Such is the power of a homunculus… _She thought. She blushed. "I don't like him! He has a girlfriend!"

"HAHA! You mean that Winry chick?" Envy laughed.

"No! Cynthia!"

Envy and Envy started at her. "WHAT!" The student Envy screamed. "NO! That's not FAIR!"

Gaara was getting impatient. "COME ON!" He shouted. "I'm not waiting any longer!"

He stopped. The shriek drowned out Envy's cries and Lalaurana's shouts…

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M NOT PRETTY?"

"I DIDN'T MEAN IT THAT WAY! I DIDN'T EVEN SAY THAT!"

"NARUTO!"

"AAHH!"

Naruto came into view. Cynthia was chasing him from the woods, and was therefore, invisible.

"Eek! Cynthia!"

Cynthia roared from the trees. Naruto jumped over Gaara. "HI GAARA NO TIME TO FIGHT BYE!"

Gaara reached up and caught his ankle, pulling him down to Earth. "There's never 'no time to fight.'"

"I MEAN REALLY! You're gonna get killed! You all will! Cynthia is REALLY pissed!"

"Really. Then calm her down."

"AAHH! GAARA, YOU DON'T GET IT!

"Ah!" Edward ran from the woods too, his jacket torn at his left arm. "WHY ARE YOU CHASING ME? I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"

Lalaurana froze. There was a long, howling growl from the woods. "The call of the Lalaurana demon… It sounds content…"

Cynthia slowly stepped from the forest, her eyes angry but her face calm. Her fur bristled, as two heels gently kicked into her back. Sasuke stood on her back, his hands firmly clutched into the unruly fur.

"Cynthia, dammit, calm down!" he growled.

Cynthia roared and tried to buck him off, but she yowled as his fingers dug deeper into her fur. "Turn human and I'll let go!"

Cynthia roared and refused. So Sasuke angrily turned her head and made her run towards a small lake. Cynthia's eyes widened and she tried to turn, but Sasuke held her fur firmly.

Naruto blinked. "Why are you taking her to the water?"

"If you weren't such an idiot, you would know that Lalauranas are one third cat, one third wolf and one third fox."

"Grr…"

"Of course."

"Huh?" Naruto looked at Edward.

"Cats hate water, dimwit."

"I'M NOT STUPID, SHRIMP!"

"I'M NOT SHORT, STUPID!"

SPLASH.

They stopped. Large bubbles came from the water, but they changed to smaller ones. Cynthia and Sasuke surfaces, Cynthia human once again. Sasuke smirked, but Cynthia's eyes turned to slits again. "YOU MAY HAVE MADE ME HUMAN AGAIN BUT I'M STILL GOING TO KILL NARUTO!"

"Don't kill your teammates, Cynthia."

"THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO LAW AGAINST THAT!" She paused, and a look of fear and pain crossed her face. "OOW!"

"Exactly." Sasuke reached into the water and pulled out a roll of medical tape. "You're still injured. You would have easily thrown me off otherwise."

The smell of wet fur reached Cynthia nostrils.

She turned red. "Sasuke?"

"Yes Cynthia."

"Did you bring any spare clothes?"

"Yes Cynthia."

"Gimme."

* * *

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" Sakura yelled at Cynthia as she bandaged her chest. "How can you still be hurt? You're a Lalaurana!"

"So? I don't heal as fast as any nine-tailed fox."

Cynthia was dressed in a spare outfit of Sasuke's. "Come on, I fell of a freaking rock."

"You OBVIOUSLY haven't checked it lately." Sakura pointed at it. "See? Look! It's at least four inches long and two centimeters deep. Someone of lesser strength would be unable to move!"

"I fell on a rock. Come on! It was WAY smaller yesterday."

"You didn't even look at it!"

"Shut up…"

Sakura finished bandaging her, then called in the others. Edward yawned. "I'm so bored…"

"Shut up!" Naruto growled at him. "We only have two days to find the tower. And Cynthia has held us up BIG TIME!"

He blinked, then looked at Cynthia. "Hey, Cynth… How fast can you go when you're a Lalaurana?"

"No."

"AW COME ON! I want to win!"

"So does Gaara. And he's very dangerous. We cross paths with him again and he'll destroy us." Sasuke said.

"So we'll avoid him!"

"No. I'm not carrying you."

* * *

"Hey Sensei!"

"What?"

Pop.

"You need your medicine!"

* * *

Gaara looked up. The student Envy and his friends emerged from the trees.

"Where's your sensei?"

"She needed her medicine." Envy winked. "Now. A murderous kid like you must want to kill off the competition. First I'll send Wrath…"

* * *

"We have to keep moving through the night." Sasuke said. "I can use my Sharigan, and Cynthia can use her Lalaurana eyes."

"No." Cynthia said simply. "We have to sleep. We sleep tonight, and we'll have energy to fight and run tomorrow."

"Cynthia, think that through…"

"No." Cynthia propped herself up against a tree. She smiled slightly. "If we don't sleep, then you'll have to go on and forget me."

"You are way too stubborn." Naruto sighed. "But whatever…"

"WWWWAAAAHHHH! CYNTHIA!"

The student Wrath ran from the bushes, crying. "CYNTHIA!"

Cynthia held out her arms for a hug, "What is it, Wrath? Why are you so sad?"

Naruto pulled out a kunai. "Cynthia, he's an enemy…"

Wrath hugged her and cried into her shoulder. "Envy told me to go get firewood, so I did, and I came back with it, and Envy said that it was bad wood, and Lust told him to shut up, then Envy told her to shut up, then Envy told me to get lost before he breaks my neck, and…"

"Shh. There, there, Wrath. I'm sure Envy didn't mean it…"

"NO HE DID! He even took out his katana!"

"Envy doesn't have a katana…" Edward muttered.

"The Envy from Lalaurana's." Cynthia said to him. "Wrath, come on, I'll take you back to Envy."

"What can you do?"

"Sweet talk him into happiness."

"YAY! Thank you, Aunt Cynthia!"

Cynthia smiled wryly. _Aunt Cynthia…_

"Yo! Wait! Shouldn't I come with you?" Edward asked. "It's dangerous…"

"Edward, I'M usually the one protecting YOU."

* * *

"ENVY!"

Envy winced. He didn't know Wrath would bring her so fast. Oh well, who cares? Lust was probably ready by NOW.

Envy turned in fake surprise. "Cynthia! Wrath, you… You went into enemy camp!"

"Eek! Hide me!" Wrath hid behind Cynthia's legs. Envy looked Cynthia up and down. Even in Sasuke's clothes, Cynthia was hot…

Cynthia laid a gentle hand on Wrath's head. "Calm down, Envy's not going to hurt you."

"Who says I won't?"

"I do, that's who." She dug her halberd blade into the ground. "If Wrath comes crying to me again I'll kill you, you got that?"

"Of course. Only a girl of your skill would be ABLE to kill me, anyway."

Cynthia regarded him with a curious eye. "That doesn't make sense, you're just as human as everyone else."

"Au contraire." Envy morphed into Edward, then Sasuke, then Naruto, then Envy again. "You got the wrong Envy, babe."

In a blink, long homunculi nails pricked her skin, while feminine hands folded over Cynthia's mouth.

"You move, you die. You got that?"


	14. Chapter 14

"I'm bored…"

"Yes, we know."

"I'm bored…"

"FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME, ED, WE KNOW!" Naruto shouted at him.

"Where's Cynthia? She is way late."

"Like she had a deadline."

Edward stood up. "I'm going to go look for her. Annoying girl probably wandered off…"

"EDWARDEDWARDEDWARD!"

Tackle.

"I AM SOOO GLAD TO SEE YOU!"

Edward blinked. Lalaurana hugged his legs.

"HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! What are you doing here?"

"I'm in a tournament, Sensei… And I should be asking you the same question."

Lalaurana twirled a lock of hair on her finger. "Well, I forget. I think Envy followed you here…"

"From LSIG?"

"Yeah. He and Wrath and Lust…"

"Why did Envy follow me?"

"They followed Cynthia, not you. Envy is trying to find a reason to blackmail you… And he found one!"

"Oh yeah? What?"

"Blackmail?" Naruto looked at Sakura and Sasuke, who shrugged.

Lalaurana held up a picture of Edward hugging Cynthia. "Envy made lots of copies…"

"GIVE ME THAT!" Edward snatched it, blushing furiously. Naruto snickered.

"I liked the old way he was blackmailing me, OK? Go tell him that!"

"I don't know where he is!"

Edward glared at her. "Cynthia just went off with Wrath…"

"Then Envy tricked you!"

Edward glared. "Shit…"

* * *

Cynthia's eyes fluttered. "What the Hell…" She sighed quietly, then began to squirm fiercely. "ENVY! ENVY! GET OVER HERE! I'M GONNA KILL YOU! YOU AND THAT MINIATURE BASTARD WRATH!"

"I am not miniature!" Wrath complained. Envy and Envy stood up. "Which one?"

"YOU KNOW WHICH ONE!"

"Um, no, we don't."

Cynthia pulled her arm, but realized she was tied to a tree. She would have easily broke the bonds, but they were coated with a strange sand that bit into her skin whenever she moved. How was she going to get out of this…

She squeezed her eyes shut.

Maybe someone would come…

Like Naruto, or Sasuke…

Or Edward…

She looked up in the tree and blinked.

"What the Hell are you doing? Hurry up and escape!"

"Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha glared at her from the tree. "Shut up before they hear you. You idiot, just break the ropes and kick their asses!"

"Why can't you just save me?"

"To me, this is all a big test. If you escape, you pass, and the teacher can't help you with a test."

"You suck."

"Don't we all."

"Yo! Cynthia!"

Cynthia turned to look around the tree. Naruto crouched there, grinning. He pointed into another tree. Cynthia turned to look. There was Sasuke, a mound of rocks beside him, pointing into another tree. Sakura sat there, ready to shout out orders. And Edward…

"Hi, everybody!"

Gaara and his homunculi looked up, as well as the student Envy, Lust and Wrath. Edward strolled in and sat down. "What's for dinner?" He clapped and put his hands on the ground. There he made a long stick, which he poked through a random fish. "Fried fish, anyone?"

"I knew your annoying power was alchemy." Lust sniffed.

"Alchemy…" Gaara asked.

"Hey! Guess what, Edo! I found a new way to blackmail you!" Envy giggled, holding up the picture.

Edward blushed. "Oh, go save me the trouble and kill yourself and your annoying friends…"

"YOU'RE SO MEAN!" Student Wrath began to cry.

One of the Lusts extended her nails and poked Edward's right arm, trailing her nail down his sleeve. "Oh, you made Wrath cry. Bad boy."

"DON'T TOUCH THAT!" Edward pulled his arm away from her nail. "It's… Sensitive."

"For an arm made of metal, it sure SEEMS sensitive…"

Sasuke blinked. _Arm made of metal…_

"OK, you know what, hurry up and put the damn plan into action..." Edward growled.

Klonk.

A rock bashed into Envy's head. "OW!" he rubbed it. "What the Hell…"

Klonk.

Another one hit his nose.

"AARRGGHH! YOU!" He pointed an accusing finger at Cynthia. "You're doing this, somehow, with your freakish martial arts crap!"

"SHADOW CLONE NO JUTSU!" Naruto shouted. A dozen Cynthia clones popped out of nowhere, by combining a transformation jutsu with his shadow clone one.

"What?" One clone said, crossing her arms and glaring at the homunculi. Another clone began to undo the ropes around Cynthia's hands.

"You think I'm so helpless as to not know a SINGLE jutsu, like Rock Lee?"

"I'm too strong to be like that. Come on!"

Edward clapped. "Alright, now lets kill some homunculi.

"Sasuke! Keep pelting them with rocks. Naruto! Mix up your clones so they can't find out which one is Cynthia!" Sakura ordered. Sasuke could do more than just throwing rocks, but he had a good aim.

Edward touched Envy, and set his hair on fire. He didn't care if it was the human one, or the homunculus, but either way…

Envy shrieked and tried to beat out the flames. _He is such an idiot, whichever one he is… _Edward thought.

"How troublesome." Lust muttered. "This should slow things up… " With her long nails and while Ed was busy, she took a firm hold of his right sleeve, and pulled.

RRRRIIIIPPPPPP!

Everyone stopped what they were doing as the noise sliced through the air. Cynthia looked at Edward in silence, but everyone who hadn't seen his arm before gasped. The sun had just risen over the trees, and glinted off the sleek metal of Edward's arm. Edward just glared at the hateful thing, then looked at everyone. "You know what?" He pulled off his other sleeve to match. "I don't care. Stare all you want." He clapped and made a blade on his arm. "Its just been too long since I could do this without worrying who watches."

"Edward…" Cynthia smiled. _He can finally show Winry's magnificent creation to the world… _She thought, swelling with pride. She smirked. "ALL RIGHT! Stop playing around with your clones, Naruto, and kick ass!"

She grabbed her halberd and brought it down on Envy's katana. The katana blade bent under the weight. Envy became nervous. Cynthia had improved greatly since school, being able to swing this annoying thing with just one hand. Another strike and his katana would break. But Cynthia didn't even pull back the blade, she simply kept pressing her weight on it.

"Cynthia!" Envy growled. "Why do you use this halberd, anyway? Why don't you fight me face to face?"

"Because you fight dirty!"

"I do not! Lust does! Listen, drop your halberd and I'll drop all my weapons and we'll fight with our fists."

Cynthia pulled back her halberd and glared at him. She threw the halberd, where it slammed into a tree, digging into the soft bark. "Fine. It's not like you can use a bent katana anyway."

Envy tossed his katana aside and emptied his sleeve full of knives and kunai. "There…"

But he had no time to finish. He hand to bend back far to avoid a swinging kick from Cynthia.

"Hurry up, Envy. Fight back!"

Edward was off grappling with the homunculus Lust. He blocked her nails continuously with his metal arm, lashing out occasionally with his metal leg. The homunculus Envy turned into Cynthia and tapped Edward's shoulder.

"Cynthia?" Edward blocked Lust's nails again. "What?"

"Edward," Envy cooed as Cynthia, undoing his karate belt. "While everyone else is fighting, why don't we just go into the woods…"

Cynthia looked over to see how Edward and her friends were faring. Sasuke was continuously hurling rocks at Wrath and Greed, making it so they couldn't get close enough to get him. Sakura was throwing kunai at the two Wraths, and Naruto was still attacking with his clones. But… Edward was fending off Lust while Envy flirted with him, drawing his attention from the fight. Lust's nails pulled back one last time, and…

"EDWARD!" She screamed. Time seemed to slow down, as she left her fight with the student Envy and sped over. Lust's nails shot out and were just going to slice into Edward…

"Hey, wait, Cynthia has bandages around…"

"AAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!"

Lust's nails punctured Cynthia's skin, ripping through her shirt and digging into her soft flesh. Two nails went into one shoulder, two in the other, and one through her arm.

"Oh, God! CYNTHIA!"

* * *

Cynthia's eyes flickered. "Wha?" She sat up. "ARRRGGHH!" She fell back down. Winry looked down at her. "Wow, you're really banged up…"

"Winry? When…"

"Edward called me. You've been asleep for a whole week."

"What? The tournament! What happened? Did we win?"

"No," Winry said, sighing. "Your team got here second, after Gaara's. You're in the hospital wing of the tower. Oh, and by the way… I had to amputate one of your arms."

"What?" Cynthia looked at her left arm. It was there, but banged up and bandaged. She turned her head. A stump was where her left would have been. She wiggled it. "Oh, my…"

"Eek! Don't fall unconscious again!" Winry picked up a drill and some metal. "Your right arm will heal good as new. But the wounds in your left sliced through a vital nerve connecting your arm to the shoulder. So we had to take it off… You can have one of two options. Either… Either we leave it like that, or…" She sighed and looked at Cynthia pitifully. "Or we give you automail. Like Edward. It took Edward's arm a year to adjust. But because you're a demon, it should connect properly by the end of the month…"

"Just give me the damn automail already!" Cynthia growled. "Every second I waste is a second I'm not murdering Gaara and those homunculi!"

Cynthia squeezed her eyes shut, holding back tears. _Oh, God… It burns… _

Winry looked up from the arm she was connecting. "Oh, Cynthia, I know it hurts. Just try not to…"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKK!"

* * *

Edward sighed. "I'm going to kill those homunculi…"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKK!"

Sasuke head snapped up. "What's going on?"

"Um, you know MY arm?" He flexed his metal fingers and elbow. "Well, Cynthia's getting one. When the nerves connect it hurts like Hell."

Sakura peered in the window and her cheeks puffed out. "Oh, God…"

"Winry's a really good mechanic. Cynthia's in talented hands."

"SHE'D BETTER BE!" Naruto was pacing back and forth. "I can't have my teammate die or something."

"Why are you pacing?" Sakura asked.

But as soon as she finished, a nurse walked in. "Naruto, sir, here is your instant ramen."

"Thank you!" Naruto pulled it open ad grabbed some chopsticks, slurping up the ramen.

"RAMEN?" Sakura screeched in outrage.

"I'm hungry when I'm nervous…"

"Who are you, Chouji?"

"Hey! Are you calling me FAT?"

"No…"

"I, um…" Winry opened the door. "I'm done… GAH!"

Edward, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura stampeded over her, trampling her into the ground.

Cynthia sat up, holding her metal arm with her other one. Winry held up a finger from the ground. "Cynthia, don't move it for a little while, it'll be sore…"

"Right."

"Oh my God, Cynth!" Edward muttered.

"I know, Ed. My right arm will heal, but my left…"

She blushed. Edward took her metal hand in his. "Cynthia, I swear to God, along with my arm and leg, I'll find a way to get your arm back. I promise."

Her eyes began to tear. "Edward… I… Thank you.

Edward smiled. "Now. You have one month until you can use your arm. Let's get training."

"Yeah!" Cynthia clenched her organic hand. "It's tome to go kill that Gaara!"


	15. Credits

CreditsCharacters and their anime series O/C Own Character 

Cynthia Suhn, O/C

Lalaurana Suhn, O/C

Mihoshi Kakota, O/C

Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist

Alphonse Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist

Winry Rockbell, Fullmetal Alchemist

Envy, Fullmetal Alchemist

Lust, Fullmetal Alchemist

Wrath, Fullmetal Alchemist

Colonel Roy Mustang, Fullmetal Alchemist

Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, Fullmetal Alchemist

Lieutenant Jean Havoc, Fullmetal Alchemist

Lieutenant Cain Fury, Fullmetal Alchemist

Inuyasha, Inuyasha

Kagome Higurashi, Inuyasha

Sango, Inuyasha

Serena Tsukino, Sailor Moon

Amy Mizuro, Sailor Moon

Raye Hino, Sailor Moon

Lita Kino, Sailor Moon

Mina Aino, Sailor Moon

Rini Tsukino, Sailor Moon

Luna, Sailor Moon

Ryouga Hibiki, Ranma Half

Naruto Uzumaki, Naruto

Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto

Sakura Haruno, Naruto

Kakashi, Naruto

Rock Lee, Naruto

Gaara, Naruto


End file.
